Most interrogative pronouns in Italian can be used as relative pronouns, e.g., “Qui è dove voglio essere” (Here is where I want to be), “Te lo dirò quando mi ricorderò” (I will tell you when I remember), etc. The most common relative pronouns used in Italian are “chi” (who), “che” (that/who), and “cui” (which/whom). Here is a summary of some relative pronouns in Italian:
| Relative pronoun | English meaning | Examples |
| che | that who | Il tè che ti piace è qui. The tea that you like is here. |
| cui | which whom | Questa è la persona a cui hanno chiesto. This is the person whom they asked? |
| chi | those who whoever | Chi vince prende tutto. Whoever wins takes it all. |
| il quale (sing. m.) la quale (sing. f.) i quali (pl. m.) le quali (pl. f.) | which | Discutono di un argomento importante, il quale ti riguarda. They are discussing an important topic which affects you. |
| il cui (sing. m.) la cui (sing. f.) i cui (pl. m.) le cui (pl. f.) | whose | È l’uomo i cui due figli sono dottori. This is the man whose two sons are doctors. |
| del quale (sing. m.) della quale (sing. f.) dei quali (pl. m.) delle quali (pl. f.) | whose | È l’uomo del quale due figli sono dottori. This is the man whose two sons are doctors. |
“che” = “that” or “who”
The relative pronoun “che,” meaning “that” or “who,” is the most generic and can refer to a thing, a place, or a person. As long as it is not preceded by a preposition such as “a,” “di,” “con,” “tra,” etc., the use of “che” is often appropriate in most contexts.
“cui”
The pronoun “cui” is often used to convey more complex meanings when preceded by a preposition, such as “di cui” (about which/whom),“a cui” (whom or at whom),“con cui” (with whom).
For example, “Questa è la persona a cui hanno chiesto” (This is the person whom they asked), “Questo è il libro su cui discutono” (This is the book about which they debate), etc.
“chi”
The relative pronoun “chi” can only refer to a person or persons, and cannot refer to a thing or a place.
It is always singular even if it refers to multiple persons, and is often used in proverbs and general statements meaning “those who” or “whoever,” e.g., “Chi vince, detta le regole” (Whoever wins sets the rules), “Non mi piace chi giura” (I don’t like those who swear), etc.
As a general rule, if you refer to a person and follow that by a simple relative pronoun such as “who” or “that,” use “che” instead, e.g., “Il mio amico, che è ingegnere, me lo ha detto” (My friend, who is an engineer, told me this).
“che” vs. “chi” vs. “cui”
Since “che,” “chi,” and “cui” all can refer to a person, it is important to emphasize when to use each. The following is a summary in the context of some examples:
| “che,” “chi,” & “cui”? | Explanation |
| Questo è il ristorante che ha aperto la scorsa settimana. This is the restaurant that opened last week. | Referring to a place using the simple relative pronoun “that” right after the noun. Thus, use “che.” |
| Questo è l’insegnante che mi ha insegnato al liceo. This is the teacher who taught me in high school. | Referring to a person using the simple relative pronoun “who” right after the noun. Thus, use “che.” |
| Questo è il film di cui vi ho parlato. This is the movie about which I told you. | Referring to a thing using the relative pronoun “which” preceded by a preposition. Thus, use “cui.” |
| Sono i giocatori con cui giocavo. They are the players with whom I used to play. | Referring to a person using the relative pronoun “whom” preceded by a preposition. Thus, use “cui.” |
| Chi è interessato cercherà una risposta. Those who are interested will look for an answer. | Referring to a group of people using “those who” in general. Thus, use “chi.” |
“il quale” & its Variants
The relative pronoun “il quale” (and its gender and number variants) can replace “che” or “cui” in formal writing, but are not common in spoken Italian.
For example, “Leggerò il libro, il quale era nel garage” (I will read the book, the one that was in the garage), “Pulirò la sedia dietro la quale il gatto gioca” (I will clean the chair behind which the cat plays), etc.
How to say “Whose” in Italian?
The relative pronoun “cui,” preceded by a definite article, has a similar use to the English “whose” e.g., “Questo è l’uomo il cui figlio è dottore” (This is the man whose son is a doctor).
The relative pronouns “del quale,” “della quale,” “dei quali,” and “delle quali” can also be used in a similar way to “il cui,” “la cui,” “i cui,” and “le cui,” respectively, e.g., “Questo è l’uomo del quale il figlio è dottore” (This is the man whose son is a doctor).
Other lessons in Level II:
