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Relative pronouns

—Mais j’ai téléphoné chez toi. Je suis tombéesur une fille qui était très gentille.

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Relative pronouns

• Relative pronouns are used to link two ideas containing a common element into a single, complex sentence, thereby eliminating the repetition of the common element. The relative pronoun to use is determined by the grammatical function of the noun it replaces, called the antecedent.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• In the sentences below, the common element, or antecedent, is l’enfant. Because l’enfant is the subject of the second sentence, the relative pronoun qui replaces it.

La mère a grondé l’enfant.The mother scolded the child.

L’enfant était insupportable.The child was unbearable.

La mère a grondé l’enfant qui était insupportable.The mother scolded the child who was unbearable.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• The relative pronoun que replaces a direct object.

Le saumon est excellent.The salmon is excellent.

J’ai trouvé le saumon.I found the salmon.

Le saumon que j’ai trouvéest excellent.The salmon that I foundis excellent.

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Demonstrative pronouns

ATTENTION!

In English, relative pronouns can sometimes be omitted. Relative pronouns cannot be omitted in French.

Le parent que j’ai perdu récemment était mon arrière-grand-père. The relative (whom) I lost is was my great-grand-father.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• A past participle that follows the relative pronoun que agrees in gender and number with its antecedent.

La tarte que tu as faite était délicieuse.The pie that you made was delicious.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• The relative pronoun où can stand for a place or a time, so it can mean where or when.

C’est un supérette où on peut trouver des produits biologiques.It’s a min-market where you can find organic food.

Téléphone-moi au moment où notre nièce arrive.Call me the moment that (when) our niece arrives.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• The relative pronoun dont replaces an object of the preposition de.

On est allés à l’ypermarché.We went to the supermarket.

Je t’ai parlé de l’hypermarché.I talked to you about the supermarket.

On est allés à l’hypermarche dont je t’ai parlé.We had the supermarket (that)I talked to you about.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• Since the preposition de can indicate possession, dont can mean whose.

Les enfants dont le père est autoritaire sont souvent punis.The children, whose father is strict, are often punished.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• Use lequel as a relative pronoun to represent the object of a preposition. Note that the preposition is retained and always precedes the relative pronoun.

C’est le citron bio avec lequel je vais faire la sauce. That’s the organic lemon with which I am going to prepare the sauce.

C’est la raison pour laquelle je suis venu.

This is why (the reason for which) I came.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• Remember that lequel and its forms laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles agree in gender and number with the objects they represent. Remember, too, that when lequel combines with à or de, contractions may be formed.

With à With de

auquel

auxquels

auxquelles

duquel

desquels

desquelles

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Demonstrative pronouns

• The relative pronoun lequel usually does not refer to people. If the object of the preposition is human, use the relative pronoun qui along with the preposition.

C’est une relation sur laquelleje peux compter.That’s a relationship I cancount on.

but

C’est la femme avec qui Paulest très liéThis is the woman with whomPaul is very close-knit.

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Demonstrative pronouns

• If a relative pronoun refers to an unspecified antecedent, use ce que, ce qui, or ce dont, which often mean what.

Le problème qui m’inquiète, c’est le fossé des générations. The problem that worries me is the generation gap.

Le viande que je préfère, c’est la volaille.The meat that I prefer is poultry.

L’ingrédient dont elle a besoin, c’est un conservateur.The ingredients that she needs is a preservative.

Ce qui m’inquiète, c’est le fossé des générations.. What worries me is the generation gap.

Ce que je préfère, c’est la volaille.What I prefer is poultry.

Ce dont elle a besoin, c’est un conservateur.What she needs is a preservative.