Les Pronoms Relatifs

Question 1

What is the function of qui?

Answer 1

• Qui is the relative pronoun used when the noun phrase of pronoun heading a relative clause is the implied subject of that relative clause
- Il y avait deux hommes qui sortaient une armoire à glace du camion
• It is only used in front of verbs

Question 2

How is que used?

Answer 2

• Que is the relative pronoun used when the noun phrase or pronoun heading the relative clause is the implied direct object of the relative clause, whether animate or inanimate
- L’homme qu’on vient d’appeler Rossi se lève
• Used in front of subject/objects NOT verbs

Question 3

What is lequel used for?

Answer 3

Lequel is the French relative pronoun counterpart for “which” and it is used for indirect objects. It follows the prepositions à, de or pour and only used when referring to things (never about people). In addition, it has to agree with the noun’s gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).

Question 4

What forms of lequel are there?

Answer 4

MS - lequel
FS - laquelle
MP - lesquels
FP - lesquelles

Question 5

How does lequel change when put next to à or de?

Answer 5

à + lequel - auquel
à + laquelle - à laquelle (remains the same)
à + lesquels - auxquels
à + lesquelles - auxquelles
de +  lequel - duquel
de +  laquelle - de laquelle (remains the same)
de +  lesquels - desquels
de + lesquelles - desquelles

Question 6

How is où used?

Answer 6

• is used as a relative pronoun as a compliment of a place
- L’immeuble où j’habite est très bruyant
• Is also used a compliment of time
- 1984, c’est l’année où je suis né

Question 7

How is quoi used?

Answer 7

• Is mainly used in written French
• Where the head of the relative clause rien, quelque chose, ce or a clause, and is understood as the object of a preposition in the relative clause quoi is used
- Il n’y a rien sur quoi on puisse se baser

Question 8

When do we use ce que and ce qui?

Answer 8

• To figure out whether ce que or ce qui are needed imagine it as ‘la chose qui’ or ‘la chose que’
• If there is a comma before where ‘qui’ should be its most likely ce que or ce qui because the comma shows that they are two separate clauses
• When the head of the clause is nonspecific and inanimate
- On a réparé ce qui était cassé
- Je crois ce qu’il dit

Question 9

When is dont used, and what can it be translated into?

Answer 9

•	Dont replaces the preposition de plus a person or thing and serves as the object of a relatve clause 
•	Dont has a number of possible translations:
-	From which 
-	From whom 
-	Including 
-	Of which 
-	Of whom 
-	That 
-	Whose
-	With

Question 10

What are the differences between Duquel and Dont?

Answer 10

• Are sometimes interchangeable e.g both used when the verb is followed by de e.g. s’occuper de
• Dont is used more frequently, duquel is usually used when the verb is followed by a preposition e.g à côté de, près de
• Duquel is more common in writing

Question 11

When is ce à quoi used?

Answer 11

• Means what and is used with tonic verbs

Exemple: what I was thinking – ce à quoi j’ai pensé