Qui: Sujet de la Relative (Qui as Subject)

Learning ObjectivesIdentify the relative pronoun 'qui' (who/that) [kee] in a sentence.Use 'qui' (who/that) [kee] to combine two simple sentences into one complex sentence.Describe a person or a thing using a relative clause with 'qui' (who/that) [kee].Imagine you're in the schoolyard looking for your friend. 🧐 You tell a teacher, "Je cherche mon ami. Mon ami porte une tuque bleue." (I'm looking for my friend. My friend is wearing a blue hat.). To make it simpler, you can say: "Je cherche mon ami qui [kee] porte une tuque bleue." (I'm looking for my friend who is wearing a blue hat.). It's much faster!Real-World ApplicationsDescribing friends or family members.Giving details about items in a store.Telling a story in a more detailed way.

In this lesson, we'll focus on grammar. There's no new vocabulary, but here are the important concepts to understand:ConceptDefinitionExampleRelative Pronoun 'qui' [kee]A word that replaces the subject (a person or a thing) in a second sentence to connect it to the first.Le garçon qui [kee] joue au hockey est mon frère. (The boy who plays hockey is my brother.) 🏒Antécédent (Antecedent) [ahn-tay-say-DAHN]The noun or pronoun that the relative pronoun replaces. It comes right before 'qui' [kee].In the sentence "Le chat [shah] qui [kee] dort" (The cat that is sleeping), the word "chat" (cat) is the antecedent. 🐈

Rule 1: 'Qui' Replaces the SubjectRule: We use 'qui' (who/that) [kee] to replace a noun (person or thing) when that noun is the subject of the verb in the relative clause. 'Qui' [kee] is always followed directly by a verb. Structure: [Antecedent] + qui [kee] + [conjugated verb] + ...Rule 2: 'Qui' is Invariable (It Never Changes)Rule: The pronoun 'qui' (who/that) [kee] never changes. It stays 'qui' [kee] even if the antecedent is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural. Examples:Le garçon qui [kee] parle. (The boy who is speaking.)La fille qui [kee] parle. (The girl who is speaking.)Les garçons qui [kee] parlent. (The boys who are speaking.)Les filles qui [kee] parlent. (The girls who are speaking.)