The Relative Pronoun.
Relative Pronouns (that, which, who, whose, whom), join two ideas or two clauses:
a main clause and a subordinate clause (see subjunctive)
With the
exception of that, these can also be interrogative pronouns in English.
A relative pronoun usually has an antecedent (that's
a noun or pronoun which comes
before the relative pronoun).
Example: (red is the relative pronouns;
blue is its antecedent)
1. They are looking at the man
who walks with a cane. (who
is the relative pronoun;
the man is the noun to which it refers).
You see that who
refers to the man!! (the man is the antedecent)
2 The children are building a tree
house, which will be a lot of fun. (which
is the relative pronoun;
the tree house is the noun to which it refers).
3. I saw the place
where he was buried. (where
is the relative pronoun;
the place is the noun to which it refers).
4. There's the house that/which burned down, (that/which is the relative pronoun)
5. I'd like to know what she is doing. (there is no antecedent here; what is the relative pronoun)
See examples IV, 1 and 2.
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The simple relative pronouns (who, which and where) in
French are: qui, que, où.
In French: when the relative pronoun
is the subject of the clause, use
qui |
Exampels:
I. Where the Relative Pronoun is qui
1.Voilà la fille, qui habite avec sa soeur. (qui=subject of the clause; la fille=antecedent)
2. Où sont les gens qui ont acheté ces voitures? (qui=subject of the clause; les gens=antecedent)
3. Ce sont Maria et Jeannette qui ont visité la famille ( qui=subject of the clause; Maria et Jeannette=antecedent)
4. Le football est un sport qui est très populaire. (qui=subject of the clause; le football=antecedent)
5. Nous aimons cette voiture qui coûte €80.000,00. (qui=subject of the clause; cette voiture=antecedent)
II. Where the Relative Pronoun is que (direct object)
1.C'est cet homme qu'ils ont tué. (que is the direct object of the relative.clause; cet homme=antecedent)
2 Où sont ces filles, qu'ils ont vues. (que is the direct object of the relative.clause; ces filles=antecedent)
3.C'est Maria et Jeannette que vous avez sculptées. (que is the dir. object of the rel. clause;
Maria et Jeannette =antecedent)
4. Le football est un sport que nous aimons. (que is the dir. object of the relative clause;
Maria et Jeannette =antecedent)
5. Nous aimons cette voiture qu'il a achetée. (que is the dir. object of the relative clause;
Maria et Jeannette =antecedent)
III. Where the antecedent is où (where/ when--as a relative pronoun)
1. Voilà la maison où il habite. (où designates the place where; antecedent is la maison)
2. Je n'aime pas les musées où on montre l'Art Moderne (où designates the place where; antecedent is les musées)
3. Six heures est l'heure où nous nous réveillons. (où designates "when;" antecedent is l'heure)
4. Midi est l'heure où ils sont nés. (où designates "when;" antecedent is l'heure)
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IV. When there is no antecedent in the sentence ce qui (subject, ce que (object) and ce dont are used.
Think of "ce qui" and "ce que" as: that which or: that what
Examples:
1. Il ne sait pas ce qui est bon. (ce qui is subject!)
He doesn't know what is good!
2. Nous faisons ce qu'il fait, Simon! (ce que is object!)
We do what he is doing, Simon!
3. Voilà ce dont j'en ai envie!
There's what I need!
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V. The Relative Pronouns after prepositions* (replacing people or things).
Rule: In this case the pronoun agrees with its antecedent!!!)
1. After a prepostion you may use lequel, lesquels, laquelle, lesquelles or qui for people but
2. you must use only lequel, lesquels, laquelle, lesquelles for things.
* Prepostions are location words (in, for, against, around, over, on top of, without, next to...)
These pronouns are: lequel, lesquels, laquelle, lesquelles (see Interrogative adjectives as well).
Lequel when the antecedent is: masculine singular
Lesquels when the antecedent is masculine plural
Laquelle when the antecedent is feminine singular
Lesquelles when the antecedent is feminine plural.
Examples:
1. That's the knife with which I cut myself - C'et le coûteau avec lequel je me suis coupé.
2. Where is the room in which you sleep? - Où est la chambre dans laquelle tu dors?
3. Here are the men for whom she prayed - Voici les hommes pour lesquelles (pour qui) elle a prié
4. We don't know the women for whom you sang - Nous ne connaissons pas les femmes
pour lesquelles (pour qui) vous avez chanté.
After the prepositions à and de, lequel and its forms contract (see: contraction with à and de):
Thus: duquel, desquels, de laquelle, desquelles
auquel, auxquels, à laquelle, auxquelles.
V. The Relative Pronoun dont .
A. Dont is often used as a substitute for de qui, duquel, de laquelle, desquels and desquelles
(of which, whose, of whom) to replace people or things.
It is used with verbs and expressions which require "de" as in:
(parler de, être amoureux de, avoir besoin de..).
Dont may refer to people or things.
Dont is preferred over de qui, duquel, de laquelle, desquels and desquelles.
Examples:
1. La dame dont vous parlez ne travaille pas ici!
The lady of whom (about whom) you're talking doesn't work here.
2. Jeanette, dont la soeur est Maria, ne me comprend pas.
Jeanette, whose sister is Maria, doesn't understand me.
3. Ces pommes dont j'ai mangé trois n'étaient pas mûres.
Those apples of which I ate three weren't ripe.
4. Voici le compteur dont j'ai beson.
Here is the computer (which, that) I need.
B. Dont cannot follow compound prepostions ending in de (as: près de, à côté de, en face de...)
Examples:
1. C'est la fille en face de qui il etait assis.
That's the girl across from whom he was sitting.
2. J'ai acheté la maison à côté de laquelle mes parents habitent.
I've bought the house next to which my parents are living.
C. Dont meaning whose (showing possession).
"Whose" shows possession or relatonship. Use dont to express this!
Pay close attention to the word order after dont in this case!!
Exampels:
1. C'est la fille dont je connais le grand-père (clause after dont=normal word order!).
That's the girl whose grandpa I know.
2. Shirley est la fille dont le chat s'appelle Mickey. (clause after dont=normal word order!).
Shirley is the girl whose cat's name is Mickey.