Cleft sentences are a way to emphasize a particular part of a sentence by splitting it into two clauses. In English, we use structures like “It was ... who/that ...” or “It is ... whom/that ...”. In Spanish, we use similar structures with “fue ... quien/que ...” (past tense) or “es ... quien/que ...” (present tense).
Examples in English and Spanish
Here are some examples of cleft sentences with a focus on syntax (sentence structure) and grammar:
| English Cleft Sentence | Spanish Cleft Sentence | Grammar Notes |
|---|---|---|
| It was María who called you. | Fue María quien te llamó. | Use “fue … quien” + past tense verb |
| It is Juan who is cooking. | Es Juan quien cocina. | Use “es … quien” + present tense verb |
| It was yesterday that I met him. | Fue ayer que lo conocí. | Use “fue … que” + past tense verb |
| It is in the kitchen that they are talking. | Es en la cocina donde están hablando. | Use “es … donde” + present tense verb |
| It is my friends who are coming. | Son mis amigos quienes vienen. | Use “son … quienes” + plural verb |
Translate: "It was yesterday that I met him."
Fue ayer que lo conocí.
'Fue ayer que lo conocí.' uses the past tense 'fue ... que.' 'Cuando' could also be used, but 'que' is the structure shown here.
How to Form Cleft Sentences
- Identify the part of the sentence you want to emphasize: subject, object, time, place, etc.
- Create a cleft sentence using the structure fue ... quien/que (past) or es ... quien/que (present). For plural subjects, use son ... quienes.
- Follow with the rest of the sentence, using the appropriate verb tense.
- Use quién/quienes for people and que for things, times, or places.
- For emphasis on place or time, you can also use donde (where) or cuando (when) instead of que.
Tips and Usage
- Cleft sentences are used to emphasize or highlight a specific element in a sentence.
- They are common in written and spoken Spanish, especially when clarifying or correcting information.
- The verb tense in the second clause matches the original sentence (past, present, etc.).
- The subject in the first clause (fue/es/son) agrees with the emphasized element.
- Cleft sentences can sound more formal or literary in Spanish.
- You can also use lo que as a neutral relative pronoun in some cleft-like constructions (e.g., Lo que quiero es descansar).
More Examples
| English Cleft Sentence | Spanish Cleft Sentence | Grammar Notes |
|---|---|---|
| It was the teacher who explained the lesson. | Fue el profesor quien explicó la lección. | Singular subject: fue ... quien ... + past tense |
| It is my sister who lives in Madrid. | Es mi hermana quien vive en Madrid. | Singular subject: es ... quien ... + present tense |
| It was last week when I traveled to Peru. | Fue la semana pasada cuando viajé a Perú. | Use cuando (when) for time expressions |
| It is in this book that you’ll find the answers. | Es en este libro donde encontrarás las respuestas. | Use donde (where) for place expressions |
| It’s the children who made the noise. | Son los niños quienes hicieron el ruido. | Plural subject: son ... quienes + past tense |
If you want to build more examples or explore subtopics like changing verb tenses inside cleft sentences, let me know!
Flashcards (1 of 10)
- Grammar Notes: Use “fue … quien” + past tense verb
- English Cleft Sentence: It was María who called you.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
