Relative pronouns in French function differently from their English counterparts. Thus, it is difficult to have a direct translation.
“Qui” vs. “Que” vs. “Dont”
Consider the following examples of the relative pronouns “qui,” “que,” and “dont,” which can refer to persons or things:
| C’est le livre qui a remporté le prix. | This is the book that won the award. |
| C’est le livre que j’ai acheté. | This is the book that I bought. |
| C’est le livre dont je parlais. | This is the book that I was talking about. |
In the above examples, the French relative pronouns “qui,” “que,” and “dont” are all translated as “that.” The relative pronoun “qui” is used when referring to a subject, i.e., “the book that won the award.”
The relative pronoun “que” is used when referring to an object, i.e., “the book that I bought.”
Finally, the relative pronoun “dont” is used when referring to an object of a verb or verbal expression that includes the preposition “de,” such as: “parler de” (talk about), “avoir besoin de” (to need), etc.
Use of “Qui,” “Que,” & “Dont” with People
Similarly, the relative pronouns “qui,” “que,” and “dont” can refer to people and have different meanings:
| C’est le garçon qui jouait ici. | This is the boy who used to play here. |
| C’est le médecin que j’ai consulté. | This is the doctor whom I consulted. |
| C’est le genre de joueur dont notre équipe a besoin. | This is the kind of player that our team needs. |
| C’est l’homme dont les deux fils sont médecins. | This is the man whose two sons are doctors. |
Notice that “qui” is used when referring to a subject, i.e., “the boy who used to play here;”
“que” is used when referring to an object, i.e., “the doctor I consulted;”
and “dont” is used when referring to an object of a verb or verbal expression that includes the preposition “de,” in this case: “avoir besoin de” (to need), i.e., “the player that our team needs.”
The relative pronoun “dont” is also used to express possession if the verb is preceded by the subject and followed by the object. In this case, it is often translated as “whose,” “of which,” or “of whom.”
“Lequel” & its Variants
Another relative pronoun that can also mean “that,” “which,” or “whom” is “lequel” and its gender and number variants: “laquelle,” “lequels,” and “lesquelles.”
When preceded by a preposition, these pronouns are often used to refer to things more specifically.
When referring to people, “qui” preceded with a preposition is often used instead, for example:
| Ce sont les joueurs avec lesquels je jouais. | They are the players with whom I used to play. |
| Je nettoierai la chaise derrière laquelle le chat joue. | I will clean the chair behind which the cat plays. |
| C’est le bâtiment dans lequel je vis. | This is the building in which I live. |
| C’est la personne à qui ils ont demandé. | This is the person whom they asked. |
Notice that “lequel” (and its gender and number variants) is treated the same way as the definite article when contracted with the preceding preposition, e.g., “C’est le projet auquel je pense” (This is the project I am thinking of).
“Où” as a Relative Pronoun
We have previously encountered the interrogative pronoun “où,” meaning “where.” As a relative pronoun, it can mean “where” or “when,” referring to a certain moment of time. Here are some examples:
| C’est où je veux être maintenant. | This is where I want to be now. |
| Nous ne savons pas où aller. | We don’t know where to go. |
| C’est le moment où j’ai pris la décision. | This is the time when I made the decision. |
| Il a probablement appelé au moment où j’étais occupé. | He probably called at the time when I was busy. |
“Lorsque” & “Quand”
Another common pronoun that means “when’’ is “lorsque,” e.g., “Dis-moi lorsqe tu es de retour” (Tell me when you are back).
Remember that “quand” can be used as an interrogative or relative pronoun, whereas “lorsque” cannot be used as an interrogative pronoun to ask questions about time.
Summary
Here is a summary of some relative pronouns in French:
| Relative pronoun | English meaning |
| que | that, which, who |
| qui | that, which, who, whom |
| dont | that, whose, of which, of whom |
| lequel (sing. m.) laquelle (sing. f.) lesquels (pl. m.) lesquelles (pl. f.) | that, which, whom |
| où | where, when |
| quand | when |
| lorsque | when |
Other lessons in Level II:
