Using Que as a Conjunction in Spanish

Using the Spanish  Although que is most often used as a relative pronoun in Spanish it is also frequently used as a subordinating conjunction. The distinction may not seem obvious to English speakers, because que in both cases is usually translated as that. However, the distinction is important in some situations, such as those listed below when translating that after a noun. Forming Sentences With Que as a Conjunction Que is used as a conjunction in the following sentence construction: Main or independent clause que dependent clause. The main clause includes a subject and verb, although the subject may be understood rather than explicitly stated. The dependent clause also has a subject and verb (although the subject again may be implied) and could stand alone as a sentence, but it depends on the main clause to indicate its significance. The usage is similar in English: Main clause that as a conjunction dependent clause. The main difference is that in English it is common to omit that, while que is nearly always mandatory. A simple example should make this clearer. In the sentence Olivia sabe que Francisco està ¡ enfermo (Olivia knows that Francisco is sick), Olivia sabe (Olivia knows) is the main clause, que is a conjunction, and Francisco està ¡ enfermo (Francisco is sick) is the dependent clause. Note that Olivia sabe and Francisco està ¡ enfermo each has a subject and verb. Note that when que functions as a conjunction, it never is accented to form quà ©, which is a pronoun. Examples of Que as a Conjunction Here are some other examples of que as a conjunction: Todos creemos que fue un asesinato. (We all believe (that) it was a murder.)Esperamos que este fin de semana sea mà ¡s productivo. (We are hoping (that) this weekend will be more productive.)Quiero que me quieras. (I want you to love me. Literally, I want that you love me.)No creà ­ que fuera fisicamente posible. (I didnt believe (that) it was physically possible.Predigo que la banca mà ³vil expandirà ¡ en el futuro. (I predict (that) mobile banking will expand in the future.) When De Que Should be Used If the main clause ends in a noun, de que is used as a conjunction instead of que: Tengo el miedo de que sea un virus. (I am afraid (that) it is a virus.) ¿Tienes celos de que Andrew pase tiempo con Lauren? (Are you jealous (that) Andrew is spending time with Lauren?)Hizo el anuncio de que el primer sencillo de su segundo à ¡lbum se llamarà ­a  «Move ». (He made the announcement (that) the first single from his second album would be called Move.) Note, however, that when que is used as a relative pronoun after a noun, de que cannot be used. An example: Hizo an anuncio que nos sorprendià ³. He made an announcement that surprised us. One way whether you can tell that que in the above example is a relative pronoun is that you could translate it as which and still make sense (i.e., he made an announcement which surprised us). But in the examples above where de que is used, that and not which must be used in translation. When a verb or a phrase is commonly followed by de and an infinitive or noun, often de que followed by a clause can be used instead: Estoy cansado de que me mientan. (I am tired of them lying to me. Literally, I am tired that they lie to me.)Estamos felices de que haya boda. (We are happy (that) there was a wedding.)No me olvidà ³ de que la literatura puede servir de entretenimiento. (I didnt forget (that) literature can serve as entertainment.) Using the Subjunctive Mood with Que It is very common for the verb in the clause following que or de que to be in the subjunctive mood. This typically occurs with the clause before que is used to express doubt, hope, negation, or an emotional reaction. Dudamos que su coche pueda funcionar. (We doubt (that) her car can run.)Tus amigos y yo esperamos que vengas pronto. (Your friends and I hope (that) youre coming soon.)No existe la posibilidad de que las plataformas de Xbox y PlayStation se unan. (The possibility doesnt exist (that) the Xbox and PlayStation platforms will merge together.)Me sorprendià ³ que la pizza se sirve con pià ±a. (It surprised me (that) the pizza is served with pineapple.) Key Takeaways Que functions as a conjunction when it comes between two clauses.When the first clause ends in a noun, the conjunction becomes de que.Que or de que as a conjunction is usually translated as that, which is often optional in English.