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French

Non-defining Clauses

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Non-defining clauses in French add extra information to a sentence without changing its main meaning. They are always set off by commas and use relative pronouns like qui, que, dont, or lequel (and its variants). Unlike defining clauses, the information isn’t essential to identify the noun—it just provides additional context.

Usage

Non-defining clauses add supplementary details that can be omitted without altering the core meaning of the sentence.
  • They are always separated by commas.
  • They do not restrict or define the noun; the noun is already clear.
  • The sentence remains grammatically complete if the clause is removed.

Example

Mon frère, qui habite à Paris, est médecin.* My brother, who lives in Paris, is a doctor.

The main point is that my brother is a doctor. The fact that he lives in Paris is extra information.

Relative Pronouns

Non-defining clauses use the same relative pronouns as defining clauses, but the key is the use of commas to set off the clause.
PronounUsageExample
quiRefers to a person or thing; subject of the relative clause.Mon ami Paul, qui est avocat, vient ce soir.*<br>My friend Paul, who is a lawyer, is coming tonight.
queRefers to a person or thing; direct object of the relative clause.Le film, que j’ai vu hier, était passionnant.*<br>The movie, which I saw yesterday, was thrilling.
dontReplaces de + noun; indicates possession or partitive.Marie, dont le frère est pilote, voyage beaucoup.*<br>Marie, whose brother is a pilot, travels a lot.
lequel/laquelle/lesquels/lesquellesRefers to things or people after a preposition; agrees in gender and number.Mon livre, auquel je tiens beaucoup, est introuvable.*<br>My book, to which I am very attached, is missing.

Examples

Here are more examples to illustrate how non-defining clauses work in French.

Qui (subject)

Notre professeur, qui est très strict, a donné beaucoup de devoirs.* Our teacher, who is very strict, gave a lot of homework.

Que (direct object)

La peinture, que j’ai achetée lundi, est magnifique.* The painting, which I bought on Monday, is magnificent.

Dont (possession)

Julien, dont la sœur est musicienne, joue du piano.* Julien, whose sister is a musician, plays the piano.

Lequel (after preposition)

La maison, dans laquelle nous avons grandi, est vendue.* The house, in which we grew up, has been sold.

La maison, dans laquelle nous avons grandi, est vendue.


The house, in which we grew up, has been sold.

‘dans laquelle’ is a prepositional relative pronoun form used in a non-defining clause, set off by commas.

Punctuation

The key to non-defining clauses is the use of commas:
  • Always place a comma before the relative pronoun.
  • If the clause ends the sentence, place a comma before the next part as well.
  • No commas are used within the clause itself (unless needed for other reasons).

Example

Pauline, qui aime voyager, part demain.* Pauline, who loves to travel, leaves tomorrow.

Common Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls when using non-defining clauses:
  • Omitting commas: Always set off non-defining clauses with commas.
  • Using the wrong relative pronoun: Match qui, que, dont, or lequel to the function and antecedent.
  • Confusing defining and non-defining clauses: Non-defining clauses add extra info; defining clauses specify or limit the noun.

Incorrect

Mon père qui est médecin travaille à l’hôpital.*

(Without commas, this implies I have more than one father, and I’m specifying which one.)

Correct

Mon père, qui est médecin, travaille à l’hôpital.*

(My father, who is a doctor, works at the hospital.)

What is the difference between defining and non-defining clauses?


Defining clauses specify which noun you mean; non-defining just add extra info and use commas.

Defining clauses limit or identify the noun; non-defining clauses are additional comments.

Summary

Non-defining clauses in French provide additional, non-essential information about a noun. They:
  • Use relative pronouns qui, que, dont, or lequel (and its forms).
  • Are always set off by commas.
  • Do not change the basic meaning of the sentence.

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025

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