Relative pronoun "que"
El coche en el que estoy pensando es nuevo.
This is an example from the quiz on relative pronouns. "El que" wasn't the answer. The answer was "que". So if the el isn't part of the relative pronoun, then what is it? What does this say... "Of which I am thinking or that I am thinking"?
2 Answers
So if the el isn't part of the relative pronoun, then what is it?
Both 'que' and el que' are relative pronouns, as you become more familiar with all of the relative pronouns you may notice something interesting, it just so happens that often the length of the relative pronoun (3 letters vs 5 letter etc) corresponds with the distance between them and the antecedent (the thing that they refer to, lol).
Ie, use que when it follows immediately after the antecedent or there's just a tiny preposition like 'a' or 'de' between it and the antecedent.
Tengo el libro que quieres.
I have the book (that) you want.
but use 'el que', 'la que' etc when there's a comma or slightly more distance between the relative pronoun and the antecedent (eg a three letter preposition such as sin, por etc). This can be important as it can avoid confusion between a relative pronoun and an adverbial conjunction such as ... sin que meaning without, or porque meaning because.
Este libro, el que compré ayer, es genial.
This book, that I bought yesterday, is great.
So how about the preposition 'en'? Well seeing as it's not as short as 'a' or 'de' but not as long as 'sin' or 'por' ... you can choose. It's fine just to use 'que' but it is commonly found with 'el que' etc.
Este es el libro en (el) que leí algo muy interesante.
This is the book in which I read something very interesting.
I also would have chosen “en el que” but native speakers will often drop the “el” at times. Here is a source that backs that comment: enter link description here
Which says:
Que may also be used after short separation from the antecedent, for example a comma or —if it is not a person— a short (one-syllable) preposition, for example a, de, or en .
No es el banco en que deposité mi dinero.
But also:
This includes one syllable prepositions often used with que —particularly en—
No es el banco en el que deposité mi dinero.
So would seem to indicate that either formulation is correct.
He gives the translation- with (that) added by me- as:
It's not the bank (that) I deposited my money in [in which I deposited my money]
.
So I would say whether to use that or which depends on how you translate it- do not translate word for word, rather by concepts.
In my most natural expression, I would probably translate your sentence as:
The car that I am thinking about is new.
