cuyo

Cuyo is a Spanish relative pronoun used to indicate possession, equivalent to “whose” in English. It introduces a relative clause and must agree in gender and number with the noun that is possessed, not with the possessor. The standard forms are: cuyo (masculine singular), cuya (feminine singular), cuyos (masculine plural), cuyas (feminine plural). The pronoun generally appears immediately before the noun it modifies, as in El hombre cuyo coche es nuevo or La casa cuya puerta está abierta. Cuyo can refer to both people and things, and it is often considered formal or literary; in everyday speech speakers may prefer alternatives such as del que, de la que, de quien, or simply que, depending on the context.

Cuyo also denotes a geographic region in Argentina, known as the Cuyo. This historical and cultural area lies in the west-central part of the country, between the Andes to the west and the pampas to the east. It comprises the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, and San Luis. The region is noted for its high desert landscapes and for wine production, particularly in Mendoza with Malbec wines. Tourism focuses on mountain scenery, wine routes, and outdoor activities. The economy centers on viticulture, agriculture, and related industries, with a climate ranging from arid to semi-arid at high elevations. The name Cuyo has been used since colonial times to describe this western Argentine zone; inhabitants are sometimes called cuyanos.