Introduction to Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns in French are used to connect a main clause to a subordinate clause, providing more information about a noun or pronoun without starting a new sentence. They replace the noun and avoid repetition while linking two ideas smoothly.
Common French relative pronouns include qui, que, où, dont, and forms of lequel. Each has specific uses depending on whether the relative pronoun functions as a subject, direct object, or indicates possession or place.
The Relative Pronoun "Qui"
"Qui" functions as the subject of the relative clause and can refer to people or things. It replaces the subject of the subordinate clause and is never followed by a preposition.
Example usage:
Voici l'homme qui parle.
Vwah-see l'om kee parl
Here is the man who is speaking.
Le livre qui est sur la table est intéressant.
Luh leevruh kee eh syr lah tahbl eh-tay-ray-sahn
The book that is on the table is interesting.
The Relative Pronoun "Que"
"Que" is used as the direct object in the relative clause. It refers to people or things, and it must be followed by a conjugated verb. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the antecedent when que is the direct object.
Example usage:
Le film que j'ai vu était captivant.
Luh film kuh zhay voo eh-tay kap-tee-vahn
The movie that I saw was captivating.
La chanson que tu écoutes est nouvelle.
La shan-son kuh tyu ay-koot eh noo-vel
The song that you are listening to is new.
Agreement example table with que as direct object:
| Antecedent | Past Participle Agreement |
|---|---|
| Le livre (masc. sing.) | vu (no change) |
| La chanson (fem. sing.) | écoutée (add -e) |
| Les films (masc. pl.) | vus (add -s) |
| Les chansons (fem. pl.) | écoutées (add -es) |
The Relative Pronoun "Où"
"Où" is used to refer to a place or a time. It replaces the prepositions indicating location or time, such as à, dans, or en in the relative clause.
Example usage:
La ville où je suis né est magnifique.
La veel oo zhuh swee nay eh man-yee-feek
The city where I was born is beautiful.
Le jour où nous avons rencontré Marie était spécial.
Luh zhoor oo noo zavon ron-kon-tray Mah-ree eh-tay spay-syal
The day when we met Marie was special.
The Relative Pronoun "Dont"
"Dont" replaces the preposition de and indicates possession, origin, or a relationship. It is used when the verb or expression in the relative clause requires de.
Example usage:
Voici le professeur dont je parle.
Vwah-see luh pro-fess-ur don zhuh parl
Here is the teacher I am talking about.
C’est une fille dont le frère est pilote.
Say tun fee don luh frehr eh pee-lot
She is a girl whose brother is a pilot.
The Relative Pronouns "Lequel" and Variations
"Lequel" and its variations (laquelle, lesquels, lesquelles) are used after prepositions other than de, especially when referring to things. They agree in gender and number with their antecedents.
Common prepositions paired with lequel include avec, pour, sur, and dans.
| Singular | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Pronoun | lequel | laquelle |
| Plural | Masculine | Feminine |
| Relative Pronoun | lesquels | lesquelles |
La chaise sur laquelle je me tiens est cassée.
La shayz syr la-kel zhuh muh tyen eh kas-say
The chair on which I am standing is broken.
Les livres avec lesquels elle travaille sont lourds.
Lay leevr ah-vek le-kel el tra-vay son loor
The books with which she works are heavy.
Practice Examples
Try identifying the correct relative pronoun in the following sentences.
Le garçon ___ parle est mon cousin.
Luh gar-son ___ parl eh mon koo-zan
The boy who is speaking is my cousin.
La maison ___ tu as visitée est grande.
La may-zon ___ tyu ah vee-zee-tay eh grand
The house that you visited is big.
Le moment ___ nous sommes arrivés était parfait.
Luh mo-mon ___ noo som ar-ee-vay eh-tay par-fay
The moment when we arrived was perfect.
Answers:
- qui (subject)
- que (direct object, past participle agreement)
- où (time/place)
Tips for Remembering Rules
- Qui = subject of relative clause (who, which).
- Que = direct object of relative clause; watch past participle agreement.
- Où = indicates place or time (where, when).
- Dont = replaces “de” + noun; think possession or “about which.”
- Lequel and variations = used after prepositions (except “de”) and agree in gender and number.
- Always identify the function (subject, object, possession, place/time) before choosing the relative pronoun.
- Practice with real sentences helps internalize agreements and usages.