When to Use Qui or Que in French?

Relative pronouns, les pronoms relatifs in French, link the main clause to the relative clause.

French has 5 relative pronouns: que – qui – dont –où – lequel, but today we are going to focus on
qui and que.

In English, they can be translated to: who – which – that – whom – where. But the biggest difference
between English and French is that in English, they are sometimes skipped, but not in French!

Qui

Qui replaces the subject and can be translated to who, which, or that. The subject can be a person or a thing.

Qui can never be qu’ in front of a vowel.

Use qui when followed by a verb or a pronoun (reflexive pronoun – direct object pronoun –
indirect object pronoun)

French reflexive French direct object French indirect object

pronouns pronouns pronouns
me me me
te te te
se le - la lui
nous nous nous
vous vous vous
se les leur

Il a une voiture. Sa voiture est vieille.

He has a car. His car is old.

Il a une voiture qui est vieille.

He has a car that is old.

Elle a une amie. Son amie est actrice.

She has a friend. Her friend is an actress.

Elle a une amie qui est actrice.

She has a friend who is an actress.

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Que

Que replaces the direct object and can be translated to who, whom, which, or that. Que becomes qu’ when
placed before a word starting with a vowel or a silent h.

Que is always followed by a subject pronoun or a noun, but not a verb.

French subject pronouns

Je
Tu
Il – Elle – On
Nous
Vous
Ils – Elles

Use que when followed by a noun or a subject pronoun.

J’ai commandé un café. Il est trop chaud.

I ordered a coffee. It’s too hot.

Le café que j’ai commandé est trop chaud.

The coffee I ordered is too hot.

Je veux un livre. Il n’est plus disponible.

I want a book. It is no longer available.

Le livre que je veux n’est plus disponible.

The book I want is no longer available.

When the following verb is conjugated in the passé composé with avoir, the past participle agrees with
the relative pronoun.

Tu m’as raconté une histoire. Elle est fausse.

You told me a story. It is wrong.

L’histoire que tu m’as racontée est fausse.

The story you told me is wrong.

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Test Yourself – Fill up the blanks with que or qui.

J’ai des amis         seront là ce soir.

I have friends who will be there tonight.

La personne         a appelé a laissé un message.

The person who called left a message.

Le chien         j’ai adopté est adorable.

The dog I adopted is adorable.

C’est la chanson         j’adore.

This is the song that I love.

Le chaton         a été adopté est roux.

The kitten that was adopted is red.

Elle mange le gâteau         tu as acheté.

She is eating the cake you bought.

C’est le portefeuille         j’ai perdu.

This is the wallet I lost.

Je vais prendre le train         part à 9 heures.

I’m going to take the train which leaves at 9 o’clock.

Ma voisine a un chat         s’appelle Fifi

My neighbor has a cat called Fifi.

C’est toi         as éteint la lampe ?

Did you turn off the lamp?

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Answers

J’ai des amis qui seront là ce soir.

I have friends who will be there tonight.

La personne qui a appelé a laissé un message.

The person who called left a message.

Le chien que j’ai adopté est adorable.

The dog I adopted is adorable.

C’est la chanson que j’adore.

This is the song that I love.

Le chaton qui a été adopté est roux.

The kitten that was adopted is red.

Elle mange le gâteau que tu as acheté.

She is eating the cake you bought.

C’est le portefeuille que j’ai perdu.

This is the wallet I lost.

Je vais prendre le train qui part à 9 heures.

I’m going to take the train which leaves at 9 o’clock.

Ma voisine a un chat qui s’appelle Fifi

My neighbor has a cat called Fifi.

C’est toi qui as éteint la lampe ?

Did you turn off the lamp?

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