Le livre auquel je pense est sur la table.
English: The book I am thinking of is on the table.
- Language
- French
- Level
- B2
- Unit
- Pronoms et leurs emplois
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Compound relative pronouns in French (les pronoms relatifs composés) are words like 'auquel', 'duquel', 'lequel', 'laquelle', 'lesquels', etc. They are used to link two sentences and refer to a noun mentioned before, often with a preposition.
When to use it
Use these pronouns in French when you need to refer back to a noun (person or thing) that is the object of a preposition (like à, de, avec, sur, etc.). They replace 'qui' or 'que' when a preposition is needed before the relative pronoun.
Key forms
- lequel, laquelle, lesquels, lesquelles
- auquel, à laquelle, auxquels, auxquelles
- duquel, de laquelle, desquels, desquelles
Examples
La maison dans laquelle il habite est ancienne.
English: The house in which he lives is old.
Les amis avec lesquels je voyage sont sympathiques.
English: The friends I am traveling with are friendly.
Voici la question à laquelle je dois répondre.
English: Here is the question I have to answer.
Les films desquels nous parlons sont célèbres.
English: The movies we are talking about are famous.
Tips
- Choose the correct form (lequel, laquelle, etc.) to match the gender and number of the noun.
- Always use the correct preposition (à, de, avec, etc.) before the compound relative pronoun.
- Do not use 'qui' or 'que' after a preposition; use the correct compound relative pronoun instead.
Exceptions and edge cases
- With 'de' + lequel, contractions are needed: duquel, desquels, desquelles.
- With 'à' + lequel, contractions are needed: auquel, auxquels, auxquelles.