Relative Pronouns

Qui replaces the subject of the relative clause and can refer to people or things; use it when the relative clause needs a subject. The clause after qui must be followed by a verb that agrees with the thing or person it refers to.

Que (or qu’ before a vowel) replaces the direct object of the relative clause and can refer to people or things; use it when the relative clause needs an object. The clause after que has a verb that agrees with the relative pronoun's antecedent.

Dont replaces phrases introduced by de and can indicate possession, partitive relationships, or other connections; it works for people or things when the relative clause requires something previously linked by de. Use dont instead of qui de or que de to make sentences smoother.

Où indicates place or time and replaces adverbial phrases in the relative clause; use it for locations, moments, or figurative "places" when the clause needs a place or time reference. It can refer to things or events, not just concrete locations.

Lequel, laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles replace objects of prepositions and agree in gender and number with the antecedent; they are used when the relative pronoun must refer to a thing and when clarity is needed after a preposition. There are contracted forms like auquel and duquel for more precise links.

Ce qui, ce que, and ce dont are used when the antecedent is general, unstated, or an idea rather than a specific noun; they introduce relative clauses that function as subjects, objects, or de-linked elements. Use these forms to talk about things in the abstract or when the clause refers to "what" or "that which."

Relative pronouns organize information by linking clauses to antecedents and by signaling roles like subject, object, possession, or place; choosing the right pronoun—qui, que, dont, où, lequel, or ce qui/que/dont—depends on whether you refer to a person or thing and on the grammatical function within the relative clause. Practice substituting each pronoun in sample sentences to internalize their use.