"lo que" and "ha que"

Question

I came across a grammar lesson on line about the use of "lo que"

I'm still not sure I fully understand how to use the phrase but I cannot find the lesson now.

I think I understood that "lo que" can be used when you would use "that" to refer to something mentioned earlier in the sentence, such as

"Coja la bola (lo que) lanzo a usted"

"Catch the ball (that) I throw to you."

I'm wondering, wouldn't the sentence have the same meaning without the "lo"

if it read,

" Coja la bola (que )lanzo a usted."

Can some one explain "lo que", when to use it, why it is used and if I should use it?

...also I think I read something about " ha que" in the same lesson but I can't remember that at all. Is anyone familiar with "ha que"

Answer 1

Are you sure that it was not hay que which is similar to tener+que or deber but carries a different level of necessity? I believe it is usually translated as "one should".

lo que is usually translated as "which" (can be "that") and with la bola it would be "la que".

lo que refers to more neuter, unknown or indefinite objects.

I'll see if I can find you an article on:

• el que, los que
• la que, las que
• lo que
• el cual, los cuales
• la cual, las cuales
• lo cual

relative pronouns

Yes, it probably was "hay que". Thank you for clearing up the gender issue. If you can find an article that would be great, but don't go to too much trouble! - elora, Aug 29, 2009