{"id":110,"date":"2024-03-06T18:52:12","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T23:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/frenchoer2\/?post_type=chapter&p=110"},"modified":"2024-03-08T18:47:33","modified_gmt":"2024-03-08T23:47:33","slug":"9-11-structure-pronoms-relatifs-qui-que-dont-et-ou","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/frenchoer2\/chapter\/9-11-structure-pronoms-relatifs-qui-que-dont-et-ou\/","title":{"raw":"9.11: Structure - Pronoms relatifs qui, que, dont et o\u00f9","rendered":"9.11: Structure – Pronoms relatifs qui, que, dont et o\u00f9"},"content":{"raw":"\n

In this section, you will learn how to use the relative pronouns que<\/strong>, qui<\/strong>, dont<\/strong> & o\u00f9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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On \u00e9tudie !<\/h2>\n\n
[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R5-V-Y0QHYI[\/embed]<\/div>\n\n

Speaking and writing French is not really about identifying and combining words. It\u2019s about telling stories and talking to each other about life. You have already learned various techniques for contextualizing what you say and write. We have learned how to describe people and actions in the past and present, how to makes references, how to ask questions, how to order events we talk about, and more. Now we will look at the role that relative pronouns play in connecting our sentences.<\/p>\n\n

One way to turn two sentences into one is to use relative pronouns (les pronoms relatifs<\/strong>). In English, they are that, who(m)m, which, and where:<\/p>\n\n

Le Mus\u00e9e d'Orsay is a museum. + I used to visit this museum often \u2794 Le Mus\u00e9e d'Orsay is a museum that<\/strong> I used to visit often.<\/p>\n\n

Le Sherpa is a caf\u00e9. + I used to meet my friends there \u2794 Le Sherpa is a caf\u00e9 where<\/strong> I used to meet my friends.<\/p>\n\n

Jean is a guy. + Jean won the game. \u2794 Jean is the guy who<\/strong> won the game.<\/p>\n\n

Three useful relative pronouns in French are: qui<\/strong>, que<\/strong> and o\u00f9<\/strong>. Note: these pronouns are different from the question words qui ?<\/strong> que ?<\/strong> or o\u00f9 ?<\/strong> because their context is different! Notice the difference in the use of who in these English examples:<\/p>\n\n

who as interrogative pronoun: <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Who ate my cake? <\/span><\/p>\n\n

who as relative pronoun:<\/span><\/p>\n\n

He is the man who ate my cake<\/p>\n\n

(a) Qui<\/strong> is used for both people, places and things and functions as a subject. It usually follows a noun and precedes a verb:<\/p>\n\n

J'avais un ami. + Il vivait au Burundi. ( I had a friend. + He lived in Burundi.)<\/p>\n\n

\u2794 J'avais un ami qui<\/strong> vivait au Burundi. (I had a friend who lived in Burundi.)<\/p>\n\n

In this example, the pronoun qui = un ami<\/strong>. It basically takes the object of the first clause (un ami<\/strong>) and turns it into the subject of the verb vivait<\/strong> in the second clause.<\/p>\n\n

(b) Que<\/strong> is also used for people and things when they are the object of a verb. It allows you to attach more information to the object of a previous clause:<\/p>\n\n

Comment s'appelle la fille ? + La fille que nous avons rencontr\u00e9e hier. (What is the girl's name? + The girl we met with yesterday.)<\/p>\n\n

\u2794 Comment s'appelle la fille que<\/strong> nous avons rencontr\u00e9e hier ? (What is the name of the girl (that, who) we met with yesterday?)<\/p>\n\n

Notice how we do not always use the relative pronouns that and who(m) in English (The girl we met vs. The girls that, whom we met). In French, you must always use the relative pronoun.<\/p>\n\n

(c) Dont<\/strong> refers to an object of the preposition de<\/strong>. For example, cette chocolatine<\/strong> is the object of the preposition de <\/strong>in J'ai envie de cette chocolatine<\/strong>. It replaces the preposition de <\/strong>and allows you to join two clauses together and avoid repeating the object:<\/p>\n\n

\u00c7a c'est une chocolatine + J'ai envie de<\/strong> cette chocolatine. (That's a chocolatine. I want that chocolatine) \u2794 C'est la chocolatine dont<\/strong> j'ai envie. (That's the chocolatine [that] I want)<\/p>\n\n

Tu parles d'<\/strong>un film. + J'aime ce film. (You're talking about a movie + I like that movie.) \u2794 J'aime le film dont<\/strong> tu parles. (I like the movie you are talking about.)<\/p>\n\n

(d) O\u00f9<\/strong> refers to a place where something happens (un compl\u00e9ment de lieu<\/strong>) or when something happens (un compl\u00e9ment de temps<\/strong>):<\/p>\n\n

\u00c7a c'est la brasserie o\u00f9<\/strong> j'ai rencontr\u00e9 ma femme. (That's the brasserie where I met my wife.)<\/p>\n\n

Je suis arriv\u00e9 au moment o\u00f9<\/strong> tout le monde partait. (I arrived at the moment when everyone was leaving.)<\/p>\n\n

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Here is a recap of when & how to use qui, que, dont <\/b>& o\u00f9<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n

(a) When the noun is the subject, use qui<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n

L\u2019homme danse \u2794 [l'homme = sujet] \u2794 C\u2019est l\u2019homme qui<\/b> danse.<\/p>\n\n

La maison est sur le boulevard \u2794 [la maison = sujet] \u2794 C\u2019est la maison qui<\/b> est sur le boulevard.<\/p>\n\n

(b) When the noun is the object, use que<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n

Tu as achet\u00e9 la maison \u2794 [la maison = objet] \u2794 La maison que<\/b> tu as achet\u00e9e.<\/p>\n\n

J\u2019ai vu l\u2019homme \u2794 [l'homme = objet] \u2794 C\u2019est l\u2019homme que<\/b> j\u2019ai vu.<\/p>\n\n

(c) When the noun is the object of the pr\u00e9position de<\/b>, use dont<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n

J\u2019ai parl\u00e9 de la maison \u2794 [la maison = objet de la pr\u00e9position de<\/strong>] \u2794 La maison dont<\/b> je t'ai parl\u00e9e {<= parler de]<\/p>\n\n

Elle parle de<\/b> l\u2019homme \u2794 [l'homme = objet de la pr\u00e9position de<\/strong>] \u2794 C\u2019est l\u2019homme dont<\/b> elle parle.<\/p>\n\n

(d) When referring to when and where something happens or happened, use o\u00f9<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n

J\u2019ai grandi dans cette maison \u2794 [cette maison = compl\u00e9ment de lieu] \u2794 C\u2019est la maison o\u00f9<\/b> j'ai grandi.<\/p>\n\n

L\u2019homme a dans\u00e9 dans le parc \u2794 [dans le parc = compl\u00e9ment de lieu] \u2794 C\u2019est le parc o\u00f9<\/b> l\u2019homme a dans\u00e9<\/p>\n\n

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Ressources suppl\u00e9mentaires<\/span><\/h4>\n\n

Review and learn more about the differences between the relative pronouns qui<\/strong>, que<\/strong>, dont<\/strong> and o\u00f9<\/strong> by visiting these sites:<\/p>\n\n