Relative Clauses

A relative clause modifies a noun or pronoun by giving more information about it.

e.g. The student who always did their work passed the class.
The show which was very popular was renewed for another season.

A relative clause starts with a relative pronoun like who or which.

Relative Clauses

In Latin, the relative cause starts with qui, quae, quod (who, which). It matches the noun or pronoun it modifies in gender and number.

femina, quae erat benigna, risit. The woman, who was kind, smiled.
vir, qui erat iratus, clamavit. The man, who was angry, shouted.

Translate the following sentence:

senex, qui sceptrum tenebat, erat rex Cogidubnus.

senex; old man
sceptrum; sceptre
teneo, -ere; holds
rex; king

Antecedent

The word that the relative pronoun refers back to is called the antecedent, literally meaning "falls before."

femina, quae erat benigna, risit. The woman, who was kind, smiled.
vir, qui erat iratus, clamavit. The man, who was angry, shouted.

Translate the following sentence:

femina, quae diadema gerebat, erat regina.

femina; woman
diadema; crown
gero, gerere; wear
regina; queen

Translate the following sentence:

donum, quod regem valde delectavit, erat equus.

donum; gift
rex, regis; king
valde; very much
deleco, -are; delights
equus; horse

Translate the following sentence:

agnus, quem servus ducebat, erat victima.

agnus; lamb
servus; slave
duco, ducere; lead
victima; sacrifice