The Relative Pronouns Qui and Que - Essential French Grammar

Essential French Grammar (2012)

The Relative Pronouns Qui and Que

The most important relative pronouns in French are qui (who, that, which), used as subject, and que (whom, that, which), used as object. Both qui and que may refer to persons or things, singular or plural. The following sentences illustrate their uses. Note that que becomes qu’ before a vowel, but qui does not change.

L‘homme qui vous attendait est sorti.
The man who was waiting for you has left.

L‘homme que vous attendez n’est pas encore arrivé.
The man (whom) you are waiting for has not yet arrived.

Voici un dictionnaire qui vous aidera beaucoup.
Here is a dictionary which will help you a great deal.

Je ne trouve pas le café qu‘il m’a recommandé.
I do not find the café (that) he recommended to me.

Notice in the above translations that in English we may omit the relative pronoun when used as object (whom, that, which). In French this is never permitted, and the que must be expressed. We must also point out that que is also the equivalent of the conjunction that, often omitted in English, but always included in French.

II m‘a dit qu’il ne pouvait pas venir.
He told me (that) he could not come.

Compound Relative Pronouns

The relative what is translated as ce qui when used as subject, and ce que when used as object.

Dites-moi ce qui est arrivé.
Tell me what happened.

Il nous a dit ce qu’il savait.
He told us what he knew.