A simple sentence contains only one clause. Relative pronouns enable us to create complex sentences containing two or more clauses to provide additional information about people and things. Qui and Que are used to create complex sentences in the examples below.
Qui- who, which and that
Followed by a verb and represents a person, place or thing
Que- who, whom, that and which
Followed by a subject e is dropped before a vowel sound
Represents a person, place or thing
Pronoun qui & que enable us to create complex sentences with several clauses (ideas), for instance:
- Le bébé est un enfant qui est très jeune.
We can split this sentence in 2 small sentences:
- Le bébé est un enfant. + Un enfant est très jeune.
Qui is the subject of the clause it introduces.
Examples using Qui:
- Laurent est un martyr. Il est devenu la saint patron des cuisinières.
(Lawrence is a martyr. He became the patron saint of cooks)
- Laurent est un martyr qui est devenu le saint patron des cuisinières.
(Lawrence is a martyr who became the patron saint of cooks)
- J'aime les chiens. Les chiens sont calmes. (I love dogs. The dogs are quiet.)
- J’aime les chiens qui sont calmes. (I like dogs that are quiet.)
Que is the direct object of the clause it introduces.
Examples using Que:
- C'est un homme que je connais très bien. (He's a man whom I know very well.)
- Je viens de lire la lettre que vous m'avez envoyée. (I've just read the letter that you sent me.)
- Que faites-vous? (What are you doing?)
- J'ai un ami que la Guadeloupe interesse.