Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns (pronomi relativi) connect two clauses by referring back to a noun in the first clause. In English we use "who," "which," "that," and "whose." Italian has its own system: che, cui, il quale / la quale, chi, and ciò che.

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Che — The All-Purpose Relative Pronoun

Che is the most common relative pronoun in Italian. It can mean "who," "whom," "which," or "that." It is invariable — it never changes form.

As Subject (who / which / that)

Italian	English
La ragazza che parla è mia sorella.	The girl who is speaking is my sister.
Il libro che è sul tavolo è mio.	The book that is on the table is mine.
I treni che partono da Roma sono veloci.	The trains that leave from Rome are fast.

As Direct Object (whom / which / that)