The English word "which" corresponds to several different words in French, primarily qui, que, and lequel (along with its various forms). Understanding how to use these correctly is essential for forming questions and relative clauses in French.
Definition: "Which" in French can be: -
qui (who/which) - subject relative pronoun -
que (which/that) - object relative pronoun -
lequel/laquelle/lesquels/lesquelles (which one/which ones) - interrogative pronoun -
quel/quelle/quels/quelles (which/what) - interrogative adjective
FAQ Schema: Q: What does "which" mean in French? A: "Which" in French is expressed through different words depending on its grammatical function: qui for subjects, que for objects, lequel and its forms for "which one," and quel and its forms as an adjective meaning "which/what."
How this topic word will be used: This lesson presents 15 examples demonstrating the various French equivalents of "which" in different contexts - as relative pronouns in statements, as interrogative pronouns in questions, and as interrogative adjectives.
Educational Schema: -
Subject: French Language Learning -
Level: Intermediate -
Topic: Relative and Interrogative Pronouns -
Focus: English "which" and its French equivalents -
Target Audience: English speakers learning French
Key Takeaways: -
French distinguishes between subject (qui) and object (que) relative pronouns -
Lequel agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to -
Quel functions as an adjective and must agree with its noun -
The choice between these words depends on grammatical function, not English translation -
French relative pronouns cannot be omitted like they sometimes can be in English
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
71.1 Le The livre book que which je I lis read est is fascinant fascinating
71.2 La The maison house qui which se itself trouve finds au at-the coin corner appartient belongs à to Marie Marie
71.3 Quel Which film film veux want -tu you regarder to-watch ce this soir evening?
71.4 Les The étudiants students qui which travaillent work dur hard réussiront will-succeed
71.5 Voici Here-is la the personne person avec with laquelle which j' I ai have parlé spoken
71.6 Le The restaurant restaurant que which nous we avons have choisi chosen sert serves de of la the cuisine cuisine italienne Italian
71.7 Laquelle Which-one de of ces these robes dresses préfères prefer -tu you?
71.8 C' It est is le the professeur professor qui which enseigne teaches la the philosophie philosophy
71.9 Les The fleurs flowers que which tu you m' to-me as have offertes offered sont are magnifiques magnificent
71.10 Dans In quelle which ville city habites live -tu you maintenant now?
71.11 Le The chat cat qui which dort sleeps sur on le the canapé sofa est is à to mon my voisin neighbor
71.12 Lesquels Which-ones de of ces these livres books as have -tu you déjà already lus read?
71.13 La The musique music que which j' I écoute listen-to me me détend relaxes
71.14 Quelles Which langues languages parlez speak -vous you couramment fluently?
71.15 L' The ami friend chez at qui whom nous we allons go habite lives à in Paris Paris
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
71.1 Le livre que je lis est fascinant. The book which I am reading is fascinating.
71.2 La maison qui se trouve au coin appartient à Marie. The house which is located at the corner belongs to Marie.
71.3 Quel film veux-tu regarder ce soir? Which film do you want to watch this evening?
71.4 Les étudiants qui travaillent dur réussiront. The students who work hard will succeed.
71.5 Voici la personne avec laquelle j'ai parlé. Here is the person with whom I spoke.
71.6 Le restaurant que nous avons choisi sert de la cuisine italienne. The restaurant which we chose serves Italian cuisine.
71.7 Laquelle de ces robes préfères-tu? Which one of these dresses do you prefer?
71.8 C'est le professeur qui enseigne la philosophie. It's the professor who teaches philosophy.
71.9 Les fleurs que tu m'as offertes sont magnifiques. The flowers which you gave me are magnificent.
71.10 Dans quelle ville habites-tu maintenant? In which city do you live now?
71.11 Le chat qui dort sur le canapé est à mon voisin. The cat which is sleeping on the sofa belongs to my neighbor.
71.12 Lesquels de ces livres as-tu déjà lus? Which ones of these books have you already read?
71.13 La musique que j'écoute me détend. The music which I listen to relaxes me.
71.14 Quelles langues parlez-vous couramment? Which languages do you speak fluently?
71.15 L'ami chez qui nous allons habite à Paris. The friend at whose place we are going lives in Paris.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
71.1 Le livre que je lis est fascinant.
71.2 La maison qui se trouve au coin appartient à Marie.
71.3 Quel film veux-tu regarder ce soir?
71.4 Les étudiants qui travaillent dur réussiront.
71.5 Voici la personne avec laquelle j'ai parlé.
71.6 Le restaurant que nous avons choisi sert de la cuisine italienne.
71.7 Laquelle de ces robes préfères-tu?
71.8 C'est le professeur qui enseigne la philosophie.
71.9 Les fleurs que tu m'as offertes sont magnifiques.
71.10 Dans quelle ville habites-tu maintenant?
71.11 Le chat qui dort sur le canapé est à mon voisin.
71.12 Lesquels de ces livres as-tu déjà lus?
71.13 La musique que j'écoute me détend.
71.14 Quelles langues parlez-vous couramment?
71.15 L'ami chez qui nous allons habite à Paris.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Grammar Rules for "Which" in French:
The English word "which" has several French equivalents, each used in specific grammatical contexts:
1. QUI (Subject Relative Pronoun) -
Used when "which" or "who" is the subject of the relative clause -
Never changes form -
Can refer to people or things -
Example: La voiture qui est rouge (The car which is red)
2. QUE (Object Relative Pronoun) -
Used when "which" or "that" is the direct object of the relative clause -
Becomes qu' before a vowel -
Can refer to people or things -
Example: Le gâteau que j'ai fait (The cake which I made)
3. LEQUEL and its forms (Interrogative/Relative Pronoun) -
Means "which one" or "which ones" -
Must agree in gender and number: -
Masculine singular: lequel -
Feminine singular: laquelle -
Masculine plural: lesquels -
Feminine plural: lesquelles -
Contracts with à and de: -
à + lequel = auquel -
à + lesquels = auxquels -
à + lesquelles = auxquelles -
de + lequel = duquel -
de + lesquels = desquels -
de + lesquelles = desquelles
4. QUEL and its forms (Interrogative Adjective) -
Means "which" or "what" when modifying a noun -
Must agree with the noun it modifies: -
Masculine singular: quel -
Feminine singular: quelle -
Masculine plural: quels -
Feminine plural: quelles -
Example: Quelle heure est-il? (What time is it?)
Common Mistakes: -
Using "que" instead of "qui" -
Wrong: Le chien que court (The dog which runs) -
Correct: Le chien qui court -
Forgetting agreement with lequel -
Wrong: Lequel de ces femmes? -
Correct: Laquelle de ces femmes? (Which one of these women?) -
Confusing quel (adjective) with lequel (pronoun) -
Quel livre? (Which book?) - adjective modifying "livre" -
Lequel préfères-tu? (Which one do you prefer?) - pronoun standing alone -
Omitting the relative pronoun -
English allows: The book I read -
French requires: Le livre que j'ai lu (never omit que/qui)
Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Right "Which": -
Is it a question or a statement? -
Question → go to step 2 -
Statement (relative clause) → go to step 4 -
In the question, does "which" modify a noun directly? -
Yes → use quel/quelle/quels/quelles -
No → use lequel/laquelle/lesquels/lesquelles -
Make sure your choice agrees with the noun in gender and number -
In the relative clause, is "which" performing an action (subject)? -
Yes → use qui -
No → use que -
If there's a preposition involved (with which, in which, etc.), use lequel forms
Grammatical Summary: -
Qui: subject, invariable, people/things -
Que: object, becomes qu' before vowels, people/things -
Lequel: "which one," agrees in gender/number, contracts with à/de -
Quel: adjective "which," agrees with noun it modifies
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
For English speakers learning French, understanding the various translations of "which" reveals fundamental differences between the two languages. While English uses one word for multiple functions, French distinguishes carefully between grammatical roles.
This distinction reflects the French language's emphasis on precision and clarity. The requirement to choose between qui and que forces speakers to analyze sentence structure more carefully than in English. This grammatical precision is characteristic of Romance languages and can be challenging for English speakers accustomed to more flexible word usage.
The agreement requirements for lequel and quel demonstrate another key difference: French maintains grammatical gender throughout its pronoun system. English speakers must develop the habit of constantly tracking the gender and number of nouns, even when those nouns aren't explicitly repeated.
In French education, children spend considerable time mastering these distinctions through exercises called "analyse grammaticale." This formal approach to grammar instruction differs from the more intuitive methods often used in English-speaking countries.
The French also tend to maintain these distinctions more carefully in casual speech than English speakers might maintain formal grammar rules. While English speakers might say "who" and "whom" interchangeably in conversation, French speakers generally maintain the qui/que distinction even in informal contexts.
Understanding these patterns helps English speakers appreciate why French is often described as a more "logical" language, even though this logic requires memorizing more forms and rules than English typically demands.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
From "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
"Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d'un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l'essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: 'Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère? Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?'"
Les The grandes grown personnes people aiment love les the chiffres numbers. Quand When vous you leur to-them parlez speak d' of un a nouvel new ami friend, elles they ne not vous you questionnent question jamais never sur about l' the essentiel essential. Elles They ne not vous to-you disent say jamais never: 'Quel What est is le the son sound de of sa his voix voice? Quels What sont are les the jeux games qu' that il he préfère prefers? Est-ce Is-it qu' that il he collectionne collects les the papillons butterflies?'
"Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d'un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l'essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: 'Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère? Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?'"
"Grown-ups love figures. When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask you about the essentials. They never say to you: 'What does his voice sound like? What games does he prefer? Does he collect butterflies?'"
"Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d'un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l'essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: 'Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère? Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?'"
This passage beautifully demonstrates the use of interrogative forms: -
"Quel est le son de sa voix?" - Here "quel" is an interrogative adjective modifying "son" (sound). Note how it agrees with the masculine singular noun. -
"Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère?" - "Quels" is the masculine plural form agreeing with "jeux" (games). This sentence also contains "qu'" (que + il), a relative pronoun meaning "that/which." -
"Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?" - This uses the "est-ce que" construction for forming questions, where "que" is part of the fixed expression, not a relative pronoun.
Saint-Exupéry contrasts what adults ask (using indirect questions and focusing on numbers) with what they should ask (using direct questions with "quel"). The passage critiques how adults miss the essential qualities that make someone special - their voice, their interests, their passions - by focusing on quantifiable data instead.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
71.16 L' The inspecteur inspector examina examined la the pièce room dans in laquelle which le the crime crime avait had été been commis committed
71.17 Lequel Which-one de of ces these suspects suspects mentait was-lying à to propos about de of son his alibi alibi?
71.18 La The fenêtre window par through laquelle which le the voleur thief s' himself était had échappé escaped était was encore still ouverte open
71.19 Les The indices clues que which nous we avons have trouvés found pointent point vers toward le the majordome butler
71.20 Dans In quel which tiroir drawer avez have -vous you caché hidden l' the arme weapon du of-the crime crime?
71.21 Le The témoin witness qui who avait had tout everything vu seen refusait refused de to parler speak
71.22 Laquelle Which-one de of ces these empreintes fingerprints correspond matches à to celle that du of-the suspect suspect?
71.23 Le The mobile motive que which l' the assassin assassin avait had était was la the vengeance revenge
71.24 L' The heure hour à at laquelle which le the meurtre murder fut was commis committed reste remains mystérieuse mysterious
71.25 Quels Which témoins witnesses étaient were présents present au at-the moment moment des of-the faits facts?
71.26 La The personne person chez at qui whom la the victime victim se herself rendait was-going nie denies l' having avoir have vue seen
71.27 Les The preuves evidence que which le the détective detective accumula accumulated étaient were accablantes overwhelming
71.28 Lesquels Which-ones parmi among les the invités guests avaient had un a motif motive pour for tuer killing?
71.29 Le The couteau knife qui which servit served d' as arme weapon appartenait belonged à to la the cuisine kitchen
71.30 Dans In quelle which direction direction le the coupable culprit s' himself est is -il he enfui fled?
71.16 L'inspecteur examina la pièce dans laquelle le crime avait été commis. The inspector examined the room in which the crime had been committed.
71.17 Lequel de ces suspects mentait à propos de son alibi? Which one of these suspects was lying about his alibi?
71.18 La fenêtre par laquelle le voleur s'était échappé était encore ouverte. The window through which the thief had escaped was still open.
71.19 Les indices que nous avons trouvés pointent vers le majordome. The clues which we found point toward the butler.
71.20 Dans quel tiroir avez-vous caché l'arme du crime? In which drawer did you hide the murder weapon?
71.21 Le témoin qui avait tout vu refusait de parler. The witness who had seen everything refused to speak.
71.22 Laquelle de ces empreintes correspond à celle du suspect? Which one of these fingerprints matches that of the suspect?
71.23 Le mobile que l'assassin avait était la vengeance. The motive which the assassin had was revenge.
71.24 L'heure à laquelle le meurtre fut commis reste mystérieuse. The hour at which the murder was committed remains mysterious.
71.25 Quels témoins étaient présents au moment des faits? Which witnesses were present at the time of the incident?
71.26 La personne chez qui la victime se rendait nie l'avoir vue. The person to whose place the victim was going denies having seen her.
71.27 Les preuves que le détective accumula étaient accablantes. The evidence which the detective accumulated was overwhelming.
71.28 Lesquels parmi les invités avaient un motif pour tuer? Which ones among the guests had a motive for killing?
71.29 Le couteau qui servit d'arme appartenait à la cuisine. The knife which served as the weapon belonged to the kitchen.
71.30 Dans quelle direction le coupable s'est-il enfui? In which direction did the culprit flee?
71.16 L'inspecteur examina la pièce dans laquelle le crime avait été commis.
71.17 Lequel de ces suspects mentait à propos de son alibi?
71.18 La fenêtre par laquelle le voleur s'était échappé était encore ouverte.
71.19 Les indices que nous avons trouvés pointent vers le majordome.
71.20 Dans quel tiroir avez-vous caché l'arme du crime?
71.21 Le témoin qui avait tout vu refusait de parler.
71.22 Laquelle de ces empreintes correspond à celle du suspect?
71.23 Le mobile que l'assassin avait était la vengeance.
71.24 L'heure à laquelle le meurtre fut commis reste mystérieuse.
71.25 Quels témoins étaient présents au moment des faits?
71.26 La personne chez qui la victime se rendait nie l'avoir vue.
71.27 Les preuves que le détective accumula étaient accablantes.
71.28 Lesquels parmi les invités avaient un motif pour tuer?
71.29 Le couteau qui servit d'arme appartenait à la cuisine.
71.30 Dans quelle direction le coupable s'est-il enfui?
The detective genre showcases sophisticated uses of French relative and interrogative pronouns:
Preposition + Lequel Forms: -
"dans laquelle" (in which) - Example 71.16 -
"par laquelle" (through which) - Example 71.18 -
"à laquelle" (at which) - Example 71.24
These constructions are essential in detective stories for describing locations and methods precisely. English speakers should note that the preposition comes before the relative pronoun in French, and lequel must agree with its antecedent.
Interrogative Uses in Investigation: Detective stories frequently use interrogative forms for questioning suspects: -
"Lequel de ces suspects...?" (Which one of these suspects...?) -
"Dans quel tiroir...?" (In which drawer...?) -
"Quels témoins...?" (Which witnesses...?)
Complex Relative Clauses: The genre employs embedded relative clauses that require careful attention: -
"La personne chez qui la victime se rendait" (The person to whose place the victim was going) -
"Les preuves que le détective accumula" (The evidence which the detective accumulated)
Stylistic Considerations: French detective fiction often uses the passé simple (literary past tense) as seen in: -
"servit" (served) instead of "a servi" -
"fut commis" (was committed) instead of "a été commis"
This creates a more formal, literary tone appropriate to the genre.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
This lesson is part of a comprehensive language learning series created by the Latinum Institute. The method, detailed at latinum.substack.com and latinum.org.uk, emphasizes systematic vocabulary building through carefully constructed interlinear texts.
The Approach: -
Granular word-by-word glossing allows beginners to understand complex texts -
Progressive difficulty within each lesson builds confidence -
Multiple presentation formats (interlinear, parallel, target language only) accommodate different learning stages -
Genre sections provide authentic language use in context
For Autodidacts: These lessons are specifically designed for self-directed learners: -
No prior knowledge assumed beyond basic English -
Grammar explanations compare directly to English structures -
Cultural notes provide essential context -
Literary citations introduce authentic texts with full support
About the Curator: Evan der Millner BA MA (Cantab. NZ, London) has been creating online language learning materials since 2006. The Latinum Institute's materials have received positive reviews from users worldwide, as documented at https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk.
Additional Resources: Selected audio materials supporting these lessons are available for paid subscribers at patreon.com/latinum. These recordings help learners develop proper pronunciation and listening comprehension alongside their reading skills.
The consistent format across all lessons in this series allows learners to focus on language acquisition rather than navigating different instructional styles. Each lesson builds vocabulary systematically while introducing increasingly complex grammatical structures in manageable increments.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---