Other Pronouns
Relative, demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns
Relative Pronouns (Pronoms relatifs)
Relative pronouns connect two clauses and help avoid repetition — similar to English "who," "which," "that," "where."
| Pronoun | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| qui | Subject | L'homme qui parle... (The man who is speaking...) |
| que | Direct object | Le livre que je lis... (The book that I'm reading...) |
| où | Place / time | La ville où j'habite... (The city where I live...) |
| dont | "of which" / "whose" (replaces de) | Le film dont je parle... (The film about which I'm talking...) |
TCF must-know: qui is always followed directly by a verb (it is the subject). que is followed by a subject + verb (it is the object).
- L'homme qui parle (who speaks — qui + verb)
- L'homme que je connais (whom I know — que + subject + verb)
When to use "dont"
Dont replaces any complement introduced by de:
- Le livre dont j'ai besoin. (The book that I need. — avoir besoin de)
- La fille dont le père est médecin. (The girl whose father is a doctor. — le père de la fille)
Demonstrative Pronouns (Pronoms démonstratifs)
These replace a noun while pointing to it — "this one," "that one," "the one."
| Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Plur. | Fem. Plur. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form | celui | celle | ceux | celles |
They are almost always followed by one of these:
- -ci (this one) / -là (that one): celui-ci vs. celui-là
- de (possession): celui de Pierre (Pierre's one)
- qui / que (relative clause): celui qui parle (the one who speaks)
Examples:
- Quelle robe préfères-tu ? — Celle-ci. (Which dress do you prefer? — This one.)
- Mon vélo et celui de Marc. (My bike and Marc's.)
- Ceux qui veulent venir... (Those who want to come...)
Note: Demonstrative pronouns can never stand alone — they must be followed by -ci/-là, de, or a relative pronoun.
Interrogative Pronouns (Pronoms interrogatifs)
| Function | Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who (subject) | qui | Qui est là ? (Who is there?) |
| Who (object) | qui | Tu connais qui ? (Whom do you know?) |
| What (subject) | qu'est-ce qui | Qu'est-ce qui se passe ? (What's happening?) |
| What (object) | que / qu'est-ce que | Que fais-tu ? / Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? (What are you doing?) |
| Which one | lequel / laquelle | Lequel préfères-tu ? (Which one do you prefer?) |
"Lequel" forms
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | lequel | laquelle |
| Plural | lesquels | lesquelles |
Contracted forms: à + lequel = auquel, de + lequel = duquel (but à + laquelle stays as à laquelle).
Stressed Pronouns (Pronoms toniques)
| Subject Pronoun | Stressed Form |
|---|---|
| je | moi |
| tu | toi |
| il | lui |
| elle | elle |
| nous | nous |
| vous | vous |
| ils | eux |
| elles | elles |
When to use stressed pronouns
| Usage | Example |
|---|---|
| Emphasis | Moi, je suis fatigué. (Me, I'm tired.) |
| After prepositions | Je pars avec eux. (I'm leaving with them.) |
| With c'est | C'est moi ! (It's me!) |
| In comparisons | Il est plus grand que toi. (He's taller than you.) |
| Standing alone | Qui veut du café ? — Moi ! (Who wants coffee? — Me!) |
Memory tip: Whenever a pronoun needs to stand outside the verb (after a preposition, in a comparison, by itself), use the stressed form.