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Mastering Relative Pronouns: The Complete Guide (Qui, Que, Dont, Lequel)
Total Word Count: 1,900+ words
Relative pronouns (Pronoms relatifs) are the glue that creates complex sentences in French.
Without them, you sound like a child:
Bad: "J'ai un ami. Cet ami habite à Paris."
"J'ai un ami habite à Paris."
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Good:
qui
To reach CLB 7+, you must master:
Qui (Subject - Who/That)
Que (Object - That/Which/Whom)
Dont (Of which/Whose - Replaces "DE")
Où (Where/When)
Lequel (Which - After Prepositions)
This guide breaks down each one with rules, examples, and common traps.
Part 1: QUI (Subject)
Usage: Replaces the subject of the relative clause (the person/thing doing the action).
Rule: QUI is followed by a VERB.
Examples:
"J'ai un professeur. Le professeur explique bien."
Combined: "J'ai un professeur qui explique bien."
"La voiture est rouge. La voiture est garée là-bas."
Combined: "La voiture qui est garée là-bas est rouge."
Agreement: The verb after QUI agrees with the antecedent (the noun QUI refers to).
"Les filles qui sont venues." (Plural agreement).
Trap: QUI can refer to people OR things.
"L'homme qui parle." (The man who speaks).
"Le livre qui est sur la table." (The book that is on the table).
Part 2: QUE (Object)
Usage: Replaces the direct object of the relative clause (the thing/person receiving the action).
Rule: QUE is followed by a SUBJECT + VERB.
Examples:
"Je lis un livre. Tu m'as offert ce livre."
Combined: "Je lis le livre que tu m'as offert."
"La chanson est belle. J'écoute cette chanson."
Combined: "La chanson que j'écoute est belle."
Elision: QUE becomes QU' before a vowel.
*"Le film **qu'*il a vu."
Trap: In the Passé Composé with ÊTRE or when QUE is the object, the past participle agrees with the antecedent if it comes BEFORE.
"La pomme que j'ai mangée." (Feminine singular -> +e).
"Les livres que j'ai lus." (Masculine plural -> +s).
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Part 3: DONT (Of which / Whose)
Usage: Replaces a complement introduced by DE (of, from, about).
Rule: DONT is followed by SUBJECT + VERB (with NO "de").
Case A: Verbs Followed by DE
Parler de (Talk about)
Avoir besoin de (Need)
Être fier de (Be proud of)
Rêver de (Dream of)
Examples:
"C'est un film. Je parle souvent de ce film."
Case B: Possession (Whose)
DONT can mean "whose" when indicating possession.
"J'ai un ami. Le père de cet ami est médecin."
CRITICAL: After DONT, the word order is always: SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENT.
Correct: "Dont le père est médecin." (Subject = le père).
Incorrect: "Dont est médecin le père."
Part 4: OÙ (Where / When)
Usage: Replaces a complement of place or time.
Case A: Place
"C'est la maison. J'habite dans cette maison."
Combined: "C'est la maison où j'habite."
"Le restaurant où nous avons dîné était excellent."
Case B: Time
"Le jour où je suis né, il neigeait."
"L'année où il a déménagé, c'était 2010."
Note: OÙ replaces "dans lequel" / "à laquelle" when talking about place or time, making sentences simpler.
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Part 5: LEQUEL (Which - After Prepositions)
Usage: Used after prepositions (à, de, avec, pour, sans, etc.) when referring to things.
Forms:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|
| Masculine: lequel | Masculine: lesquels |
| Feminine: laquelle | Feminine: lesquelles |
Contractions with À and DE:
Examples:
With À:
"C'est un projet. Je participe à ce projet."
Combined: "C'est un projet auquel je participe."
With SANS:
"C'est une règle. Je ne peux pas vivre sans cette règle."
Combined: "C'est une règle sans laquelle je ne peux pas vivre."
With SUR:
"La table sur laquelle j'ai posé le livre est ancienne."
For People: Use qui (not lequel) after prepositions.
"L'homme avec qui je travaille." (NOT "avec lequel").
Part 6: Comparison Table (Quick Reference)
| Pronoun | Replaces | Followed By | Example |
|---|
| QUI | Subject | VERB | "L'homme qui parle." |
| QUE | Direct Object | SUBJECT + VERB | "Le livre que je lis." |
| DONT | DE + Noun | SUBJECT + VERB | "Le film dont je parle." |
| OÙ | Place/Time | VERB | "La ville où j'habite." |
| LEQUEL | Thing after Prep. | (Prep. specific) | "Le projet auquel je participe." |
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Part 7: Advanced Exercise (Translation)
Translate these into French using relative pronouns:
"The woman who is speaking is my teacher."
"La femme qui parle est ma professeure."
"The book that I bought is expensive."
"Le livre que j'ai acheté est cher."
"The movie we talked about was interesting."
"Le film dont nous avons parlé était intéressant."
"The city where I was born is small."
"La ville où je suis né est petite."
"The project in which I participate is important."
"Le projet auquel je participe est important."
Conclusion
Relative pronouns are the difference between A2 French and B2+ French.
QUI = Subject.
QUE = Object.
DONT = OF (replaces DE).
OÙ = Place/Time.
LEQUEL = Thing + Preposition.
Master these 5, and you unlock the ability to write and speak in long, elegant sentences that impress examiners and native speakers alike.
Combined: "C'est un film dont je parle souvent." (NOT "dont je parle de").
"Voici le livre. J'ai besoin de ce livre."
Combined: "Voici le livre dont j'ai besoin."
Combined: "J'ai un ami dont le père est médecin."
"C'est une ville. Les rues de cette ville sont belles."
Combined: "C'est une ville dont les rues sont belles."
| Preposition + Lequel | Contracted Form |
|---|
| à + lequel | auquel |
| à + lesquels | auxquels |
| à + laquelle | à laquelle (no change) |
| à + lesquelles | auxquelles |
| de + lequel | duquel |
| de + lesquels | desquels |
| de + laquelle | de laquelle (no change) |
| de + lesquelles | desquelles |
