Relative clauses with qui, que and où

Kurz erklärt

Relative clauses add information about a person, thing, place, or time. Use qui when the relative pronoun is the subject of the following verb, que when it is the direct object, and où for a place or time. Unlike English object relative pronouns, que cannot be omitted.

Bildung

noun + qui + verb; noun + que/qu’ + subject + verb; place or time + où + subject + verb

Verwendung

• Use qui before a verb: it means who, which, or that as the subject.
• Use que before a subject: it means whom, which, or that as the direct object.
• Que becomes qu’ before a vowel sound.
• Use où to mean where after a place or when after a time expression.

Beispiele

• J’ai une voisine qui travaille à l’hôpital. — I have a neighbor who works at the hospital.
• Voici le livre que je cherche. — Here is the book I’m looking for.
• C’est le café où nous déjeunons souvent. — That’s the café where we often have lunch.
• Le lundi est le jour où le musée est fermé. — Monday is the day when the museum is closed.

Typischer Fehler

❌ Voici le livre je cherche.

✅ Voici le livre que je cherche.

English can omit an object relative pronoun, as in “the book I’m looking for.” French must include que or qu’.

Merke

Qui is followed by a verb; que is followed by a subject. Où points to a place or time.