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Qui or que? Ten French relative-pronoun questions

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose qui, que or qu’ in ten questions about finding a flat. Check subject and object roles, elision, plural verbs and two common duplicate-pronoun errors.

In short

Use qui when the described noun is the subject: un studio qui me plaît. Use que when it is the direct object: un studio que je loue. Que becomes qu’ before a vowel or mute h; subject qui stays qui.

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A prospective tenant and agent viewing a bright small French studio apartment with a sofa and balcony.
Describe un studio qui me plaît. Illustration: Atelier
Study first: the missing role
Two ideasOne phraseRole of the repeated noun
Le studio me plaît.le studio qui me plaîtSubject: the studio appeals to me.
Je loue le studio.le studio que je loueObject: I rent the studio.
Elle visite le studio.le studio qu’elle visiteObject, with elision before elle.

A person can take que and a thing can take qui: la voisine que je connais, le chauffage qui fonctionne. Find the role inside the added information. In la voisine qui me téléphone, me comes before the verb, but the neighbour is still the subject.

  1. Question 1No account needed
    The flat is the subject of the added information.Je cherche un appartement ___ a un balcon.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    qui. The flat has a balcony: it supplies the subject of a.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    We are the subject; the flat is what we visit.Voici l’appartement ___ nous visitons.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    que. Nous visitons cet appartement gives a direct-object relative: que.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Use the object relative before a vowel.Le studio ___ elle loue est petit.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    qu’. Que elides before elle: le studio qu’elle loue.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Keep the subject relative before a vowel.La personne ___ arrive est l’agente immobilière.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    qui. The person is the subject of arrive. Subject qui stays complete before a vowel.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    A person can also be a direct object.La voisine ___ tu connais habite au deuxième étage.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    que. You know the neighbour: tu connais la voisine. The object takes que.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Does the intervening pronoun change the subject role?Le propriétaire ___ nous téléphone est aimable.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    qui. The landlord calls us. Nous is the object of téléphone, while qui is the subject.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Choose the verb that agrees with the plural subject.Les fenêtres qui ___ sur la cour sont grandes.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    donnent. Qui refers to plural fenêtres, so the verb is donnent.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Choose the complete subject relative.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Le voisin qui travaille ici est gentil.. Qui already supplies the subject of travaille. Leave out the extra il.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    Choose the object relative with no repeated object.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Le studio que je loue est calme.. Que represents the rented studio. Adding le repeats that object.

  10. Question 10No account needed
    In writing, match the past participle to the preceding object.La maison que nous avons ___ est ancienne.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    visitée. The preceding direct object is feminine singular maison, so write visitée.

How do you choose between qui and que?

qui / quesubject / direct object

Focus: the role in the relative clause

C’est une annonce qui m’intéresse.
It is an advert that interests me.

C’est une annonce que je comprends.
It is an advert I understand.

qui / qu’subject / elided object form

Focus: elision follows the choice of role

La voisine qui habite ici est belge.
The neighbour who lives here is Belgian.

La voisine qu’il invite est belge.
The neighbour he is inviting is Belgian.

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