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cual

kwal/kwal/

“cual” means “which” in Spanish (referring to things).

which, that, who / whom

PronounB1formal
An illustration showing three identical blue doors. A bright yellow spotlight shines intensely on only the middle door, symbolizing the specific selection implied by the relative pronoun 'cual'.

📝 In Action

Este es el puente bajo el cual pasamos.

B1

This is the bridge under which we passed.

La reunión, durante la cual se discutieron temas importantes, duró tres horas.

B2

The meeting, during which important topics were discussed, lasted three hours.

Hablé con los gerentes, los cuales confirmaron la decisión.

B2

I spoke with the managers, who confirmed the decision.

Recibí varias ofertas, entre las cuales elegí la más interesante.

C1

I received several offers, among which I chose the most interesting one.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • el cual / la cual – which, who
  • los cuales / las cuales – which, who (plural)
  • por lo cual – for which reason, which is why, therefore
  • tal cual – as is, just like that
  • cada cual – each one

Idioms & Expressions

  • cada cual a lo suyo – To each their own.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cual" in Spanish:

that→what→which→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cual

Question 1 of 2

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence: 'Las amigas con ___ fui de viaje son de Argentina.'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'quālis', which meant 'of what kind' or 'such as'. It was used to describe the nature or quality of something, and over time it evolved into the super-useful Spanish connector we use today.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: qualItalian: qualeFrench: quel

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between 'cual' and 'qué' or 'cuál'?

Great question! They look similar but do totally different jobs. 'Cual' (no accent) connects ideas ('the house in which...'). 'Qué' (with an accent) asks 'What?'. And 'Cuál' (with an accent) asks 'Which one?'. The accent mark is the key to knowing it's a question word.

Do I always have to use 'el', 'la', 'los', or 'las' before 'cual'?

Almost always, yes. When 'cual' is used to refer back to something, it needs one of those little 'buddy' words to link it properly. The main exceptions are in fixed phrases like 'tal cual' (as is) or 'cada cual' (each one).

Can I use 'quien' instead of 'el cual' for people?

Yes, absolutely! For people, you often have a choice. 'Mis hermanos, los cuales viven en México...' and 'Mis hermanos, quienes viven en México...' both mean 'My brothers, who live in Mexico...'. Using 'quienes' is very common and sounds natural.