Relative pronouns qui / que / où

A2 Les pronoms relatifs qui, que, où 29 / 52

In short

A relative pronoun joins two sentences into one by replacing a repeated noun (the antecedent). Choose by the pronoun’s job inside its own clause: qui = subject, que = direct object, où = place or time.

The rule

Relative pronouns let you add information about a noun without starting a new sentence. The noun you are describing is the antecedent; the relative pronoun stands in for it and opens a relative clause. The trick is to look at what job the pronoun does inside that clause, not at the meaning of the noun.

Compare two short sentences merged into one:

Je connais une fille. La fille parle russe. -> Je connais une fille qui parle russe.
Je connais une fille. Tu invites la fille. -> Je connais une fille que tu invites.

qui = subject

Use qui when the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb in the relative clause (it does the action). qui is followed directly by a conjugated verb.

C’est le train qui part à midi. (the train departs -> qui = subject)
Les gens qui habitent ici sont sympas.
qui never elides: before a vowel it stays qui -> l’homme qui arrive (never qu’arrive for the subject).
qui can refer to people or things equally: le livre qui est sur la table.

que = direct object

Use que (or qu’ before a vowel) when the relative pronoun is the direct object of the verb in the relative clause. After que you normally find a new subject and then the verb.

C’est le film que j’ai vu. (I saw the film -> que = object; the subject is je)
La ville qu’il aime est Lyon. (elision before il)
Agreement warning: with the passé composé formed with avoir, the past participle agrees with the direct object placed before it - i.e. with the antecedent of que: les photos que j’ai prises (feminine plural).

où = place and time

Use où to refer to a place or a moment in time. It replaces expressions that would use a preposition like dans, à, sur (place) or pendant (time).

Place: La maison où je suis né est petite. (the house where I was born)
Time: Le jour où nous sommes partis, il pleuvait. (the day when we left)
English uses “when” for time, but French uses où, never quand, in a relative clause: l’année où …, le moment où …
Note the accent: it is où (with ù), not ou (“or”).

Forms & patterns

Pronoun	Role in the clause	Refers to	Followed by	Elision before vowel
qui	subject	people & things	a conjugated verb	no (stays qui)
que	direct object	people & things	subject + verb	yes -> qu’
où	place / time	places & moments	subject + verb	no (stays où)

Building a relative clause step by step:

Step	Example
Two sentences	Voici le vélo. J’ai acheté le vélo.
Find the repeated noun	le vélo (direct object of acheté)
Pick the pronoun by its role	object -> que
Merge	Voici le vélo que* j’ai acheté.*

Past-participle agreement after que (avoir + preceding direct object):

Antecedent	Relative clause	Participle
le livre (m. sg.)	que j’ai lu	lu
la lettre (f. sg.)	que j’ai lue	lue
les livres (m. pl.)	que j’ai lus	lus
les lettres (f. pl.)	que j’ai lues	lues

Examples

Français	English
La femme qui parle est ma prof.	The woman who is speaking is my teacher.
J’ai un ami qui habite à Nice.	I have a friend who lives in Nice.
Le gâteau que tu as fait est délicieux.	The cake (that) you made is delicious.
Voici la voiture qu’il veut acheter.	Here is the car (that) he wants to buy.
C’est le restaurant où nous mangeons souvent.	This is the restaurant where we often eat.
Le jour où je t’ai rencontré, il neigeait.	The day when I met you, it was snowing.
Les chansons que j’ai écoutées sont espagnoles.	The songs I listened to are Spanish.
Prends le sac qui est sur la chaise.	Take the bag that is on the chair.

Common mistakes

la fille que parle -> la fille qui parle - the pronoun is the subject of parle, so use qui.
le film qui j’ai vu -> le film que j’ai vu - je is the subject, so the pronoun is the object -> que.
l’homme que arrive -> l’homme qui arrive - qui is never elided; keep it as qui before a vowel.
la ville que il aime -> la ville qu’il aime - que must elide to qu’ before a vowel.
le jour quand je suis parti -> le jour où je suis parti - a relative clause about time uses où, not quand.
les photos que j’ai pris -> les photos que j’ai prises - the participle agrees with the preceding direct object (feminine plural).

Tips

Ask one question: does the pronoun DO the verb? If yes -> qui (subject). If something else does the verb -> que (object).
Quick shortcut: qui is almost always glued to a verb; que/qu’ is almost always followed by a subject (je, tu, il, on…).
qui stays intact before a vowel; que becomes qu’. Only que elides.
For time and place, reach for où - not quand and not dans lequel at this level.
After que in the passé composé with avoir, remember the participle may need an -e / -s to agree with the antecedent.
English often drops the relative pronoun (“the cake you made”), but French never does: le gâteau que tu as fait.