Like in English, Relative Pronouns in French don't just stand in for other words, they are used to build up sentences by connecting clauses.
Example:
Je mange la tarte que ma mère a préparée / I eat the piethatmy mother has prepared
Qui | Who, which, whom |
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Que | That |
Quoi | What |
Dont | Whose, of which |
Où | Where |
Examples:
Complex Forms (le,la,les+quel)
Lequel | Which one (masculine, singular form) |
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Lesquels | Which ones (masculine, plural form) |
Laquelle | Which one (feminine, singular form) |
Lesquelles | Which ones (feminine, plural form) |
Examples:
“Lequel avez-vous choisi?”, me demanda le vendeur en pointant l'étalage de fromages du doigt. /“Whichone did you choose?”, asked the seller, while pointing his finger to the cheese display?
La cause pour laquelle nous nous sommes battus n'en valait pas la peine. / The cause forwhichwe fought wasn't worth it.
Les candidats parmi lesquels nous avons choisi le directeur étaient tous très qualifiés. / The candidates amongwhichwe chose the director were all very qualified.
Les pièces dans lesquelles vous avez installé les tableaux ne sont pas bien protégées. / The rooms inwhichyou installed the paintings are not well protected.
Amalgamated Forms (à, au, aux, du, de la, des + complex form)
Auquel | To which, at which (masc., sing. form) |
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Auxquels | To which, at which (masc., plur. form) |
À laquelle | To which, at which (fem., sing. form) |
Auxquelles | To which, at which (fem., plur. form) |
Duquel | Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (masc., sing.) |
Desquels | Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (masc., plur.) |
De laquelle | Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (fem., sing.) |
Desquelles | Of which, of whom, from which, from whom (fem., plur.) |
Examples:
L'espèce à laquelle vous faîtes allusion n'existe plus. / The speciesto whichyou're referring no longer exists.
La recette indique de commencer avec du lait, auquel on peut ajouter du fromage. / The recipe tells us to start with milk,to whichone can add cheese.
La voiture à côté de laquelle elle était garée à été volée. / The car by the sideof whichshe was parked has been stolen.