La femme qui parle est ma professeure.
English: The woman who is speaking is my teacher.
- Language
- French
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Pronoms
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Simple relative pronouns in French are words like 'qui', 'que', 'où', and 'dont' that connect two sentences. They help you add extra information about a person, thing, or place without repeating words.
When to use it
Use simple relative pronouns in French to join two sentences and give more details about a noun (person, thing, or place) mentioned before. They help you avoid repeating the same word.
Key forms
- qui
- que
- où
- dont
Examples
Le livre que tu lis est intéressant.
English: The book that you are reading is interesting.
C’est la ville où je suis né.
English: That is the city where I was born.
Voici le garçon dont je t’ai parlé.
English: Here is the boy I told you about.
Tips
- Use 'qui' when the pronoun is the subject of the verb after it.
- Use 'que' when the pronoun is the object of the verb after it.
- Use 'où' for places or moments in time, and 'dont' for verbs or expressions that use 'de'.
Exceptions and edge cases
- After 'que', if the next word begins with a vowel, 'que' becomes 'qu’'.
- Some verbs require 'dont' because they are followed by 'de' (e.g., 'parler de').