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Relative pronouns are words that connect two
clauses of a sentence to create a more
complex sentence rather than having two
simpler sentences with repetitive words.
There are several relative pronouns in
English: who/whom; which and that.
In French you will use the relative pronouns
qui; que and dont. All three French relative
pronouns mean who/whom; which; that.
You must recognize the parts of speech to
choose the correct French relative pronoun
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The relative pronoun
qui (that, which, who)
is used to describe
something that was
already mentioned
(the antecedent).
Qui is the subject of
the relative clause
and is usually
followed by a verb.
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The relative pronoun
que (that, which,
whom) is used to
describe something
that was already
mentioned (the
antecedent).
Que/qu’ is the object
of the relative clause
and is usually
followed by a
subject.
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Tu connais le film avec
Tom Cruise?
Le film joue à Loews.
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◦ Le film is mentioned in
both sentences again. You
can combine these two
sentences by taking out le
film, the direct object in
the second sentence and
replacing it with the
relative pronoun que.
◦ Le film is mentioned in
both sentences. You can
combine these two
sentences by taking out le
film, the subject in the
second sentence and then
replacing it with the
relative pronoun qui.
Tu connais le film avec
Tom Cruise qui joue à
Loews?
qui = subject
Tu as déjà vu le film?
J’adore le film!
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Tu as déjà vu le film
que j’adore?
que = object
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The relative pronoun dont is used in French to
mean of whom; of which; it is always used in
place of the preposition de and a noun.
Memorize these five verbal expressions that
contain the preposition de:
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parler de
avoir besoin de
avoir envie de
avoir peur de
to
to
to
to
talk about
need
feel like
be afraid of
For now, these are the only phrases you will need
to use with dont, however the list goes on and
on!
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Tu connais le film?
Je parle du film.
◦ Le film is mentioned in both sentences. You can
combine these two sentences by taking out du
film, the object of the preposition de in the
second sentence and replacing it with the relative
pronoun dont.
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Tu connais le film dont je parle?
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Dont also means whose. It is used to show
possession. When dont shows possession
you may not have a possessive adjective
(mon, ma, mes, etc.) in the same sentence;
you must use a definite article (le, la, l’, les)
instead.
◦ Voilà la fille.
(There’s the girl.)
◦ Je connais sa mère. (I know her mom.)
◦ Voilà la fille dont je connais la mère. (There’s the
girl whose mom I know.)
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A present participle is a verb form ending in
the letters –ing in English. It doesn’t have a
subject, EVER!!
To form a present participle in French you
have to conjugate the verb in the present
indicative nous form, drop the –ons and add
the ending –ant.
◦ parler parlons
◦ finir
finissons
◦ perdre perdons
parlant
finissant
perdant
(talking)
(finishing)
(losing)
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There are only 3 irregular present participles
in French. They must be memorized!
être
avoir
savoir
étant
ayant
sachant
(being)
(having)
(knowing)
Remember they are never ever used with a
subject!
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There are 3 uses of present
participles in French.
◦ 1. As an adjective: (make agreement)
 un homme fascinant
 une femme fascinante
◦ 2. To say “while/by/upon ---ing...”
 Je mange (tout) en regardant la télé.
 adding tout before en emphasizes the action
◦ 3. In place of the relative pronoun qui
 La fille qui porte le pull rouge est sympa.
 La fille portant le pull rouge est sympa.
Present Participles
Present participles are used much more often in
English. Do not confuse these with conjugated
verbs ending in –ing. You would just use present
or imparfait for that translation.