Relative Pronouns: Qui, Que, Dont, Où
Connecting clauses in French — the words that replace 'who,' 'which,' 'that,' and 'where'
Category: Pronouns
The Rule
Qui = subject of the relative clause (who/which/that). Que = direct object (whom/which/that). Dont = of which/whose (replaces de). Où = where/when.
Why This Matters
English relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, where) can often be omitted: 'The book I read' (no 'that'). In French, the relative pronoun is NEVER optional. Furthermore, choosing between qui and que depends on function (subject vs. object), not whether you're talking about a person or thing — a common misconception from English's who/which distinction.
Examples
• L'homme qui parle est mon père. — "The man who is speaking is my father." [qui = subject of 'parle'] • Le livre que j'ai lu est passionnant. — "The book (that) I read is exciting." [que = object of 'j'ai lu'] • La fille dont je parle est ma voisine. — "The girl I'm talking about is my neighbor." [dont replaces 'de qui' (parler de)] • La ville où je suis né est petite. — "The city where I was born is small." [où = where (place)] • Le jour où je l'ai rencontrée. — "The day (when) I met her." [où = when (time)]
Common Mistakes
❌ L'homme que parle est mon père. ✅ L'homme qui parle est mon père. → The man is the subject of 'parle' (he speaks) → use qui, not que. ❌ Le livre qui j'ai lu. ✅ Le livre que j'ai lu. → The book is the object of 'j'ai lu' (I read it) → use que, not qui. ❌ La fille de qui je parle. ✅ La fille dont je parle. → When replacing de + noun in a relative clause, use dont. It's more elegant and standard than de qui.
Quick Tip
Quick test: if the relative clause already has a subject after the gap (que JE, que TU, que NOUS...), use que. If the gap IS the subject, use qui.
Quick test: if the relative clause already has a subject after the gap (que JE, que TU, que NOUS...), use que. If the gap IS the subject, use qui.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: L'homme que parle est mon père. → Correct: L'homme qui parle est mon père.. The man is the subject of 'parle' (he speaks) → use qui, not que.
Incorrect: Le livre qui j'ai lu. → Correct: Le livre que j'ai lu.. The book is the object of 'j'ai lu' (I read it) → use que, not qui.
Incorrect: La fille de qui je parle. → Correct: La fille dont je parle.. When replacing de + noun in a relative clause, use dont. It's more elegant and standard than de qui.
Quiz
Fill in: La chanson ___ tu écoutes est belle.