Learn French Language Guide - Learn French Grammar
Relative Pronouns in French: Pronoms Relatifs
Relative Pronouns in French don’t just stand in for other words, they are used to build sentences by connecting clauses.
Example:
Je mange la tarte que ma mère a préparée / I eat the pie that my mother has prepared.
a) Simple forms
Qui |
Who, which, whom |
Que |
That |
Quoi |
What |
Dont |
Whose, of which |
Où |
Where |
Examples:
Il faut trouver le témoin qui a identifié le meurtier. / We must find the witness who identified the murderer.
La croisiére que j’ai fait m’a été recommendée par l’un de mes amis. / The cruise that I just went on was recommended by one of my friends.
Je ne sais pas quoi te dire. / I don’t know what to tell you.
Les chaussures dont elle s’est dôtée lui ont permi de finir le marathon. / The shoes of which she availed herself allowed her to finish the marathon.
La maison où elle a vécu se trouve au Canada. / The house where she lived is located in Canada.
b) Complex forms (le, la, les + quel)
Lequel |
Which one (masculine, singular form) |
Lesquels |
Which ones (masculine, plural form) |
Laquelle |
Which one (feminine, singular form) |
Lesquelles |
Which ones (feminine, plural form) |
Examples:
« Lequel avez-vous choisi? » me demanda le vendeur en pointant l’étalage de fromages du doigt. / « Which one did you choose? » asked the seller, while pointing his finger to the cheese display?
La cause pour laquelle nous nous sommes battus n’en valait pas la peine. / The cause for which we fought wasn’t worth it.
Les candidats parmi lesquels nous avons choisi le directeur étaient tous très qualifiés. / The candidates among which we chose the director were all very qualified.
Les pièces dans lesquelles vous avez installé les tableaux ne sont pas bien protégées. / The rooms in which you installed the paintings are not well protected.
c) Amalgamated forms (à, au, aux, du, de la, des + complex form)
Auquel |
To which, at which (masc., sing. form) |
Auxquels |
To which, at which (masc., plur. form) |
À laquelle |
To which, at which (fem., sing. form) |
Auxquelles |
To which, at which (fem., plur. form) |
Duquel |
Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (masc., sing.) |
Desquels |
Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (masc., plur.) |
De laquelle |
Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (fem., sing.) |
Desquelles |
Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (fem., plur.) |
Examples:
L’espèce à laquelle vous faîtes allusion n’existe plus. / The species to which you’re referring no longer exists.
La recette indique de commencer avec du lait, auquel on peut ajouter du fromage. / The recipe tells us to start with milk, to which one can add cheese.
La voiture à côté de laquelle elle était garée à été volée. / The car by the side of which she was parked has been stolen. |