As you learn French and improve your language skills, you will start making more complex sentences. You will need to link two or more clauses to provide more information or express a more complex idea. This is where THE RELATIVE PRONOUNS become useful to you French learners. In this lesson, we are going to learn what a RELATIVE PRONOUN is and what it accomplishes in the French language.
What are the French RELATIVE PRONOUNS ?
| LES PRONOMS RELATIFS (The relative pronouns) | ||||
| Qui | Que | Où | Dont | Lequel |
| who, which, that, whom | whom, what, that, which | when, where, which, that | of which, from which, that, whose | what, that, which |
Note: In the first part of this lesson, I will focus only on QUI, QUE, and OÙ.
What is their functions in a sentence?
- RELATIVE PRONOUNS attach a main clause to a dependent clause (also called subordinate or relative clause). Ex: Je regarde la fille qui porte un chemisier blanc. (I look at the girl who is wearing a white blouse.) Here, the main clause is: “Je regarde la fille” and the subordinate/relative clause is “…qui porte un chemisier blanc.” We call it a “main clause” because it is self-sufficient in meaning (“I look at the girl” ) and can be understood without any external clause. On the other hand, “…(who) is wearing a white blouse” is not self-sufficient. It needs a main clause to get full value or meaning.
- RELATIVE PRONOUNS also provide more information about the main clause. In the above sentence , the words that follow qui (porte un chemisier blanc) provide more details about the girl I’m looking at.
When to use QUI as a relative pronoun?
QUI replaces the subject in the main clause (that’s why it’s called a PRONOUN). Use QUI when the noun that precedes the relative pronoun – (this noun is called the ANTECEDENT) - is the subject of the verb used in the dependent clause. In other words, the antecedent of the main clause does the action in the dependent clause. When QUI is used, a verb follows directly the relative pronoun (RELATIVE PRONOUN + VERB –> QUI).
Examples: (Pay attention to the antecedents below in each example and notice how they are the subjects of the verbs in the dependent clause; they do the actions in the dependent clauses. Notice also how QUI is followed directly by a verb.)
- Le garçon qui vient s’appelle Rémi. (The boy who is coming is called Rémi.) –> “Le garçon” (The boy) is the antecedent in the main clause AND it is the subject of the verb “vient” (is coming) in the dependent clause. The verb “vient” follows directly the relative pronoun.
- C’est le chien qui a mangé mon bonbon. (This is the dog that has eaten my candy.) –> “le chien” (the dog) is the antecedent in the main clause AND it is the subject of the verb “a mangé” (has eaten) in the dependent clause. This verb follows directly the relative pronoun.
- J’ai rencontré l’acteur qui joue dans ce film. (I met the actor who plays in this movie). –> The antecedent “l’acteur” (the actor) is also the subject of the verb “joue” (plays) in the dependent clause.
When to use QUE as a relative pronoun?
QUE replaces the direct object of the main clause. Use QUE when the antecedent in the main clause is the direct object of the verb used in the dependent clause. In other words, the antecedent here is undergoing the action of the verb in the dependent clause, NOT doing the action. When QUE is used, a subject + verb will directly follow it (RELATIVE PRONOUN + SUBJECT + VERB –> QUE).
Examples: (Notice how the antecedents in each example below are the direct objects of the verbs in the dependent clause. Again, the antecedent is the noun that precedes directly the relative pronoun).
- La voiture que tu conduis est belle. (The car that you drive is nice.) –> The antecedent “La voiture” (The car) is the direct object of the verb “conduis” (drive) – “you drive what?”–> “the car” (direct object of verb drive). Also notice how with QUE a subject follows directly the relative pronoun. With QUI, (see previous examples), a verb was directly following the relative pronoun, NOT a subject.)
- Voici l’étudiant que j’enseigne. (Here is the student whom I teach.) –> The antecedent “l’étudiant” (the student) is the direct object of the verb “enseigne” (teach). I teach who? –> “the student” (direct object of verb teach.) The subject j’ (je) follows directly the relative pronoun.
- J’ai lu le livre que tu as suggéré. (I have read the book which you suggested). –> The antecedent “le livre” (the book) is the direct object of the verb “ai lu” (have read). I have read what? –> “the book” (direct object of verb have read.) The subject tu follows directly the relative pronoun.
When to use OÙ as a relative pronoun?
As an interrogative pronoun, OÙ means “where“. First, OÙ is a pronoun which replaces a noun indicating a place. Use it when the antecedent of your main clause indicates a place. But beyond its original meaning, OÙ has an additional meaning. As a relative pronoun, OÙ also serves to indicate a point in time something happens (as a time indicator). The following examples will give you the various uses of OÙ in both cases.
Examples: (Notice how the antecedents in the examples below serve to indicate either a place or a time when something occurred.)
- Le magasin où elle travaille s’appelle Chanel. (The shop where she works is called Chanel. ) –>”Le magasin” (The shop) is here the antecedent and it indicates a place.
- Minneapolis est la ville où nous habitons depuis 3 ans. (Minneapolis is the city where we have lived for 3 years). –>”la ville” (the city) is here the antecedent of the main clause and it evokes the notion of place.
- 2009 est l’année où je me suis marié. (2009 is the year (that) I got married). –> “l’année” (the year) is the antecedent and it indicates a moment in time when an event occurred. Caution! As this example shows, do not always assume that QUAND (when) is used to evoke the moment something happened. The relative pronoun où can also play this role.
- Jeudi, c’est le jour où nous passerons notre examen. (Thursday is the day (that) we will take our exam.) –>Here, too, “le jour – mercredi” (the day – Wednesday) indicates the moment when an action is going to happen.
AVOID THE CONFUSION: Read carefully this sentence: (The school which I attend is big). Obviously, the antecedent in this sentence (The school) is a name evoking a place. But should we use OÙ as a relative pronoun here or QUE ? If you say QUE, you are correct. (Translation: L’école que je fréquente est grande.) –I attend what? The school (direct object of the verb “fréquente” (attend)) – use QUE as a relative pronoun.
Re: Avoid the confusion.
You use que because the school is a direct object of the verb, but isn’t the stop the direct object in the first example using ou?
What is different about these two sentences?
Le magasin où elle travaille s’appelle Chanel. (The shop where she works is called Chanel.)
L’école que je fréquente est grande. (The school which I attend is big).
Direct objects: shop, school
subjects: elle, Je
Verbs: Travaille, Attend
Relative Pronouns: Ou, Que ??????
Bonjour Annik!
This is a really good question. I hope that by answering it, other members of this site will now see more clearly why QUE is used for the verb “fréquenter” and not OÙ.
I will delve into pure French grammar. Please let me know if some more clarifications are needed after my explanations.
In the sentence “Le magasin OÙ elle travaille…” there is what we call “un complément circonstanciel de LIEU”. “LIEU” is the French for “place” in English. The subject “ELLE” works (“travaille”) somewhere, at a place (a shop), and the relative pronoun OÙ helps introduce that place where she works (“le magasin” shop). “Le magasin” is NOT a direct object in the sentence(therefore we do not use QUE), but it is instead part of what I called “Complement circonstanciel de LIEU”, which is introduced by OÙ.
Now, in the sentence “L’école QUE je fréquente”, the verb “fréquenter” in French almost always calls for a DIRECT OBJECT ( I attend SOMETHING ( a school) – “école”. Equally in English, I do NOT attend somewhere but I attend SOMETHING, and this something (“école”) becomes the direct object of my sentence, what is why the use of OÙ is precluded in this case.
I hope these explanations will not make things even more complicated for all of you reading this, but again this how these 2 sentences work grammatically
Merci!
Herman
That is helpful.. thank you.
Is it safe to say that something is a direct object if it can be placed directly after the verb and still make logical sense?
example:
je fréquente L’école – DO
tu conduis la voiture – DO
elle travaille Le magasin – doesn’t make sense not DO
Your definition of the Direct Object is quite correct. It is called a DIRECT OBJECT mainly because this object “directly” follows the verb. We might also say that a direct object in a sentence is an object upon which the verb “acts”. For example: “Je mange une banane” (I eat a banana) une banane is the direct object because the action of “mange” (eat) is upon “une banane” Besides, you could also say that there is nothing standing between the verb and the object. Their relation is therefore “direct”
Now, back to your own examples.
1. “Je fréquente l’école” is correct! There is a direct object here.
2. “Tu conduis la voiture” is also correct! The action of the verb “conduis” is upon “voiture”
3. here, the correct answer will be “Elle travaille AU magasin” (or) “Elle travaille DANS le magasin.” There is no direct object here because “She does NOT work the shop”, rather “She works AT the shop”. “Le magasin” cannot follow directly the verb “travailleThere needs to be a “place” indicator between them. Ihope this helps!
Merci!
Herman
salut prof comment etes-vous?
j´ai des problems avec PAR et POUR parce je ne sais pas comment utiliser ces mot
pouvez’vouz aide-moi s´il vous plait
Salut Dingue! (ha, ton pseudo est, disons, très spécial:-)
Par est un adverbe, mais il peut être aussi une preposition. Il peut avoir plusieurs significations selon le contexte donné d’une phrase, alors c’est un peu difficile de l’expliquer entièrement. Mais, essayons quand même!
1. “Ce poème a été écrit PAR Victor Hugo”. (This poem was written BY Victor Hugo)
2. “Je passe par la forêt”. (I go by/through the woods)
Pour est une préposition qui peut aussi aider à exprimer plusieurs sens. Par exemple:
a. “Cette chanson est pour toi” (This song is FOR you)
b. “Je mange POUR vivre” (I eat TO/IN ORDER TO live)
Il y a beaucoup d’autres usages de ces deux termes et je ne suis certain qu’un bon dictionnaire unilingue français fera bien mieux, mais j’ai essayé, et j’espère que cela aura servi.
Merci!
Herman
Salut Herman!
You stated at the top of this page on relative pronouns that you would only focus on “qui, que et ou” for part one of this lesson. Is there a part 2 that focuses on “dont et lequel”? I found this first part very useful and I’d love to take a look at your lesson on “dont et lequel” but I can’t find it!
Aidez-moi le trouve s’il vous plait!!
Merci beaucoup!
A bientot!
Salut Beneteau,
I have not yet posted anything on dont/lequel, but I can certainly email you directly the class notes I made for my own students if that helps. Let me know. Send your email at prof_frenchtastic [at] yahoo [dot] fr and I will make sure to send you what I have on these topics! Merci!
Salut prof!
I emailed you for the class notes but maybe you didn’t receive it.
I emailed you at: prof_frenchtastic [( at)] yahoo [dot] fr
Is this the right email address?
Beneteau
Salut Beneteau,
Yes, I got your email fine. I just sent you a response with my explanations. I hope this will help. Take care and sorry for the little delay. merci
Herman
Salut Herman,
I m learning French at my university and we are learning the relative pronouns right now!!
But it actually didnt make sense to me until I saw your video on youtube and followed the link to here.
I m very glad I found this website and you!
Please post your tutorials on dont and lequel. I m in a quite desperate need of it.
Your explanations are wonderful.
Thank you so so much for your effort and time spend on these!
Angela
Bonjour Angela,
So you’re interested in learning about the relative pronouns “lequel” and “dont”.
I will assume that you know what a relative clause is and what an independent clause is. Both lequel and dont are relative pronouns and as such, you will find them in sentences with relative clauses.
This being said, let’s begin with LEQUEL. Please note that this is pure grammar, and there are certain terms, which I hope won’t cause too much trouble in my explanation:
A.) When the relative pronoun functions as the object of a preposition in the relative clause and refers to a thing, use lequel (m.s.), laquelle ( f.s.), lesquels
(m.pl.), or lesquelles ( f.pl.) after the preposition. In the 2nd example sentence below, note that these forms contract with the preposition à and become auquel/à laquelle/ auxquels/auxquelles
Example 1) L’aide sur laquelle je comptais ne m’a pas été donnée. (The help on which I relied/counted was not given to me) (Explanation: Laquelle is object of a preposition referring to aide. the word “sur” is the preposition preceding the object “laquelle” that refers to “aide”. Again, keep in mind that for the use of the relative pronouns lequel/laquel (or their plural forms), there will always be a preposition that precedes them, AND these pronouns will refer to an object/thing.
Example 2) Le groupe auquel il s’adresse ne s’intéresse pas à son message. (The group to which he is speaking is not interested in his message)
(Explanation:auquel is object of a preposition referring to groupe. the [implied] word “à” is the preposition preceding the object “auquel” that refers to “groupe”. IN French, you use the preposition “à” with the verb “s’adresser” (“s’adresser à” means “to speak TO”) Again, keep in mind that for the use of the relative pronouns lequel/laquel (or their plural forms), there will always be a preposition that precedes them, AND these pronouns will refer to an object/thing.
B.) If the relative pronoun is the object of the preposition de, use dont for both people and things. Note the translation of dont in the following examples:
a) L’homme dont il parle est d’origine portugaise. (The man of/about whom he is speaking is of Portuguese origin.)
b) Mon père va m’envoyer l’argent dont j’ai besoin. (My father is going to send me the money (that) I need.)
c) La femme dont je suis amoureux ne me parle plus ! (The woman whom I’m in love with no longer speaks to me!)
d) La pièce dont la porte est ouverte est le bureau de M. Ahmed. (The room whose door is open is Mr. Ahmed’s office.)
In all of these different sentences, the verb or expressions that follow dont take the preposition DE. For instance, you say parler DE (to speak about), avoir besoir DE (to need), être amoureux DE (to be in love with). The last one, however, can simply be replaced by whose.
Angela, I don’t know if this was of any help, but this is what I have explained to my students and I hope you will be able to sort them apart a little better now.
Take care and thanks for your interest in the French language!
Merci!
Herman