cuja

Cuja is a feminine singular form of the possessive relative pronoun used in Portuguese to link a relative clause to a feminine noun that belongs to or is possessed by another noun. It forms part of a full set of possessive relative pronouns: cujo (masculine singular), cuja (feminine singular), cujos (masculine plural), and cujas (feminine plural). The form agrees with the possessed noun in gender and number, not with the possessor.

Origin and grammar: Cuja derives from Latin cujus, the genitive form of qui, quae, quod (to whose). In Portuguese, these forms are used to express “whose” in a way that embeds possession within a relative clause, avoiding repetition of the possessor. Their use is common in both formal and everyday writing, though some speakers opt for alternatives like de quem/da qual as a more colloquial option in certain contexts.

Usage and examples: Cuja is placed before the noun it modifies, and it introduces a subordinate clause that describes the possessed noun. Examples include:

- A pessoa cuja casa foi reformada ganhou o prêmio. (The person whose house was renovated won the prize.)

- O livro cujo autor ganhou o prêmio é novo. (The book whose author won the prize is new.)

- A menina cuja mãe trabalha aqui chegou. (The girl whose mother works here has arrived.)

Notes: In modern usage, cujas and cujos align with the possessed noun’s gender and number (feminine plural, masculine plural, etc.). While cu na can appear in formal Portuguese, some regional varieties may prefer alternative constructions such as de quem or da qual in specific contexts. Cuja is primarily a Portuguese term and is distinct from its Spanish cognate forms, which function similarly but follow Spanish grammar.