French Relative Pronouns
French Relative Pronouns:
In this lesson you are going to be introduced to the French relative pronouns. This lesson is simplified in order to not confuse and discourage the beginner.
- The relative pronoun is used in place of a name introduced by a relative adjective (Je me souviens d'une femme qui avait dit l'avoir vu/ I remember a woman that said she saw it) = qui put for that woman that said she saw it.
- At the same time, the relative pronoun brings a connection (relationship) between two proposals: (Il y avait un enfant qui portait un bouquet de fleurs/ There was a child who was carrying a bunch of flowers). The name (or pronoun) that represents the relative pronoun is called its antecedent.
- A relative pronoun may replace a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, or a preposition.
- 1. Simple forms of relative pronouns:
|
Pronoun |
Function(s) |
English |
|
|
|
|
|
Qui |
Subject |
who, what |
|
Indirect object (person) |
which, that, whom |
|
|
Que |
Direct object |
whom, what, which, that |
|
Lequel |
Indirect object (thing) |
what, which, that |
|
Dont |
Object of de |
of which, from which, that |
|
Indicates possession |
whose |
|
|
Où |
Indicates place or time |
when, where, which, that |
- 2. Compound forms of relative pronouns:
|
masculin singulier : lequel, duquel, auquel |
masculine singular: which, whose, which |
|
féminin singulier : laquelle, de laquelle, à laquelle |
feminine singular: when, where, when |
|
masculin pluriel : lesquels, desquels, auxquels |
masculine plural: which, whose, whom |
|
féminin pluriel : lesquelles, desquelles, auxquelles |
feminine plural: what, where, which |
- 3. Other compounds, undefined relatives, can be added to these forms:
|
Pronouns |
English |
|
quoi que ce soit qui |
anything that |
|
quiconque |
anyone who |
|
qui que |
whoever |
|
quoi que |
whatever |
Examples:
F Ils aiment l’appartement dont je leur ai parlé – They like the apartment I talk to them about
F Je connais un homme qui parle couramment le chinois – I know a man that speaks chinese fluently
F Le pays où vous habitez est l’Australie – The country where you live is Australia
F Est-ce-que vous avez vu la dame qui a retrouvé mon chien ? – Did you see the woman who found my dog ?
F Quiconque veut grimper au sommet d’une montagne doit s’entraîner – Whoever wants to climb a mountain must train
F Quoique je fasse, il n’est jamais content – Whatever I do, he is never happy
F Ce ne sont pas les chaussures auxquelles je pensais – These are not the shoes I was thinking about ( note: we use auxquelles, feminine plural, because it is relative to the shoes, feminine plural subject)
F Qui que vous soyez, le réglement est le même pour tout le monde – Whoever you are, the rules are the same for everyone