Qui, Que, Dont: Decoding the French 'Q' Words
Qui, Que, Dont: Decoding the French 'Q' Words
You want to say: "I know what you did."
Then you want to say: "I know what happened."
In English, "What" is the universal Swiss Army knife. In French, you have to choose the right tool based on grammar. If you choose wrong, the sentence falls apart.
The Trinity of "What"
When "What" connects two parts of a sentence, it's actually "The Thing Which" (Ce + ...).
CE QUI
THE SUBJECTUse when: The "What" is doing the action.
(That which has arrived / What happened.)
CE QUE
THE OBJECTUse when: The "What" is receiving the action.
(That which I want / What I want.)
CE DONT
THE "DE" ONEUse when: The verb needs "De" (parler de, avoir besoin de).
(That of which I have need / What I need.)
The "Who is the Boss?" Test
How to pick between Qui and Que in 5 seconds:
- Look at the word after the blank.
- Is it a verb? → Use Qui (Because it needs a subject).
- Is it a person (Je/Tu/Il)? → Use Que (Because the subject is already there).
Example:
"C'est l'homme ___ parle." ___ speaks (verb). So: Qui parle.
"C'est l'homme ___ je regarde." ___ I (person) watch. So: Que je regarde.
Why Lyrics are the Best Teacher
Textbooks give you boring sentences. Songs give you emotional anchors.
- Ce que: "Tout ce que tu voudras" (Everything that you will want).
- Ce qui: "Tout ce qui brille" (Everything that shines).
Did this pattern click?
The best way to lock it in is to see it in a real song. Open a song analysis and look for this exact structure.
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