Key points about relative pronouns in French
A relative pronoun is a pronounWords that replace nouns, ie he, she, it, they. that is used to introduce a relative clauseA relative clause is a clause that cannot exist by itself..
A relative clause is a part of a sentence that cannot exist by itself.
The relative pronoun qui means ‘who’, ‘which’ or ‘that’ and is used before a verbA word used to describe an action or state of being..
Higher Tier – que means ‘who’, ‘which’ or ‘that’ and is used as a relative pronoun before a nounThe name of a thing such as an object, a place or a person. Nouns are often described as naming words. or subjectThe person or thing in the sentence that is doing the action. pronoun.
Higher Tier - ´Çù can mean ‘where’ or ‘when’ as a relative pronoun.
The relative pronoun ‘qui’
The relative pronoun Sorry, something went wrongCheck your connection, refresh the page and try again. means ‘who’, ‘whom’, ‘which’ or ‘that’ and is usually used at the start of a relative clause.
A relative clause is a clause that cannot exist by itself. For example, in the sentence 'I really enjoyed the meal that I ordered', the relative clause is ‘that I ordered’, which wouldn’t make sense on its own.
Qui comes before a verb and relates to the subject of that verb.
For example:
- J’ai un frère qui s’appelle John. – I have a brother who is called John.
The relative pronoun 'qui' - Mini quiz
Translate this sentence into English:
J’habite dans une maison qui est assez grande.
I live in a house that is quite big.
Quiz - Relative pronouns
Practise what you’ve learned about relative pronouns with this quiz.
Higher Tier – Using 'que' and '´Çù' as relative pronouns
The words Sorry, something went wrongCheck your connection, refresh the page and try again. (what), and Sorry, something went wrongCheck your connection, refresh the page and try again. (where) can be used as relative pronouns.
Using ‘que’ as a relative pronoun
When used as a relative pronoun, que means ‘who’, ‘whom’, ‘which’ or ‘that’ and is usually used at the start of a relative clause.
Que comes before a noun or pronoun and relates to the object of the verb.
For example:
- Aimes-tu le pantalon que j’ai acheté hier ? – Do you like the trousers that I bought yesterday?
- Le nouveau chapeau qu’il a acheté était trop grand. – The new hat that he bought was too big.
Using ‘´Çù’ as a relative pronoun to mean ‘where’
When used as a relative pronoun, ´Çù can mean ‘where’.
For example:
- J’aime le quartier ´Çù j’habite. – I like the neighbourhood where I live.
Using ‘´Çù’ as a relative pronoun to mean ‘when’
°¿Ã¹ as a relative pronoun can also mean ‘when’.
For example:
- C’était le jour ´Çù ils se sont mariés. – It was the day (when) they got married.
Using ‘´Çù’ as a relative pronoun - Mini quiz
Translate this sentence into English:
Il est allé au marché ´Çù on peut acheter des légumes frais.
He went to the market where you can buy fresh vegetables.
Translate into English:
Elles sont à l’âge ´Çù elles veulent trouver un emploi.
They’re at the age when they want to find a job.
Higher Tier - Quiz - Relative pronouns
Practise what you’ve learned about relative pronouns with this quiz for Higher Tier.
Now you’ve learned about relative pronouns, why not explore emphatic pronouns?
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