Relative Pronouns in French
This section explains relative pronouns in French and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.
Introduction to Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns in French are used to link two clauses and help avoid repetition. They connect a noun (usually a person or thing) with a relative clause that describes or gives more information about the noun. The most common relative pronouns are qui, que, dont, où, and lequel (and its variations).
The Relative Pronouns
| French | English |
|---|---|
| qui | who, which, that (subject of the relative clause) |
| que | whom, which, that (object of the relative clause) |
| dont | whose, of which, about which (used to indicate possession or relationships) |
| où | where, when (refers to a place or time) |
| lequel (and variations) | which, that (used after prepositions) |
Using 'Qui'
Qui is used to refer to the subject of the relative clause. It usually replaces a person or a thing that is the subject of the verb in the second part of the sentence.
- Example 1:
Le garçon qui parle est mon frère. (The boy who is speaking is my brother.)
Qui refers to the subject le garçon (the boy). - Example 2:
La femme qui travaille ici est gentille. (The woman who works here is kind.)
Qui refers to la femme (the woman), which is the subject of the relative clause.
Using 'Que'
Que is used to refer to the object of the relative clause. It replaces a person or thing that is the direct object of the verb in the second part of the sentence.
- Example 1:
La robe que tu portes est jolie. (The dress that you are wearing is pretty.)
Que replaces la robe (the dress), which is the object of the verb portes (are wearing). - Example 2:
J’ai lu le livre que tu m’as donné. (I read the book that you gave me.)
Que refers to le livre (the book), which is the object of the verb as donné (gave).
Using 'Dont'
Dont is used to show possession or when the verb is followed by de (of). It often translates as "whose" in English, or can refer to something related to the subject in the sentence.
- Example 1:
Voici l’homme dont je t’ai parlé. (Here is the man whom I talked to you about.)
Dont replaces de cet homme (about this man). - Example 2:
C’est une ville dont j’admire les monuments. (It is a city whose monuments I admire.)
Dont replaces les monuments de cette ville (the monuments of this city).
Using 'Où'
Où is used to refer to a place or time. It translates as “where” or “when” in English and is used to indicate location or time.
- Example 1:
La ville où je vis est belle. (The city where I live is beautiful.)
Où refers to la ville (the city), indicating location. - Example 2:
Le jour où nous nous sommes rencontrés était magnifique. (The day when we met was wonderful.)
Où refers to le jour (the day), indicating time.
Using 'Lequel' and Variations
Lequel (which) is used after prepositions such as à, de, sur, avec, etc. It has different forms depending on the gender and number of the noun it refers to.
| Form | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | lequel | which, that |
| Feminine singular | laquelle | which, that |
| Masculine plural | lesquels | which, those |
| Feminine plural | lesquelles | which, those |
- Example 1 (masculine singular):
Voici le film auquel je pense. (Here is the film I am thinking about.)
Auquel is a contracted form of à lequel (to which). - Example 2 (feminine singular):
C’est la fille à laquelle j’ai donné le livre. (It’s the girl to whom I gave the book.)
À laquelle refers to la fille (the girl). - Example 3 (plural):
Les livres sur lesquels elle a écrit sont intéressants. (The books on which she wrote are interesting.)
Sur lesquels refers to les livres (the books).
Key Notes for GCSE:
- Qui is used for the subject of the relative clause (who, which, that).
- Que is used for the object of the relative clause (whom, which, that).
- Dont is used for possession or to replace de + noun (whose, of which, about which).
- Où is used for a place or time (where, when).
- Lequel (and its variations) is used after prepositions (which, that).
Higher Tier Examples:
- Example 1 (using 'qui' in a more complex sentence):
Les enfants qui jouent dans le parc sont mes voisins. (The children who are playing in the park are my neighbours.)
Qui refers to les enfants (the children) as the subject of the relative clause. - Example 2 (using 'que' with a more complex verb structure):
Le film que j’ai vu hier était incroyable. (The film that I saw yesterday was incredible.)
Que replaces le film (the film), which is the object of the verb ai vu (saw). - Example 3 (using 'dont' for possession in a higher-tier sentence):
La maison dont nous avons parlé appartient à mes grands-parents. (The house that we talked about belongs to my grandparents.)
Dont replaces de la maison (about the house). - Example 4 (using 'où' in a higher-tier sentence):
Le moment où elle a décidé de partir était très émouvant. (The moment when she decided to leave was very moving.)
Où refers to le moment (the moment), indicating time.
Quick Recap:
- Qui: subject of the relative clause (who, which, that)
- Que: object of the relative clause (whom, which, that)
- Dont: possession or after de (whose, of which, about which)
- Où: place or time (where, when)
- Lequel/Laquelle/Lesquels/Lesquelles: after prepositions (which, that)
These notes on relative pronouns offer a thorough understanding of how to link clauses and provide more detail about nouns. The examples cover both foundation and higher-tier levels to prepare you for all types of relative pronoun usage in your GCSE French exam.
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