Ce Qui Ce Que Ce Dont

Let's delve into the nuances of French relative pronouns: ce qui, ce que, and ce dont. These little words can be tricky for learners, but mastering them is crucial for constructing complex and grammatically correct sentences. They translate roughly to "what" or "that which" in English, but their specific usage depends on the grammatical function of the clause they introduce. This comprehensive guide will break down the distinctions between ce qui, ce que, and ce dont, providing clear explanations, numerous examples, and practical tips to help you confidently navigate these essential elements of French grammar.

Understanding Relative Pronouns in French

Before diving into the specifics of ce qui, ce que, and ce dont, it's helpful to understand the broader concept of relative pronouns in French. Relative pronouns connect a relative clause to a main clause, providing additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. Common relative pronouns include qui (who, which, that), que (whom, which, that), lequel/laquelle/lesquels/lesquelles (which), où (where, when), and, of course, ce qui, ce que, and ce dont.

The key difference between qui/que/lequel/où and ce qui/ce que/ce dont lies in what they refer to. The former group refers back to a specific noun or pronoun already mentioned in the sentence. The latter group, however, doesn't refer to a specific noun. Instead, they refer to a general idea, a situation, or something unspecified. This is why they often translate as "what" or "that which" in English.

Ce Qui: The Subject

Ce qui always acts as the subject of the relative clause. It introduces a clause that functions as the subject of the main verb or provides information about the subject. Think of it as replacing "that which" and acting as the one performing the action in the subordinate clause.

Key characteristics of ce qui:

• Always the subject of the verb in the relative clause.
• Followed directly by a verb.
• Cannot be replaced by ce que or ce dont.

Examples of ce qui in action:

1. Ce qui est important, c'est l'honnêteté. (What is important is honesty.)

   • Ce qui is the subject of the verb est (is) in the relative clause ce qui est important.
   • The entire clause ce qui est important functions as the subject of the main verb c'est.

2. Ce qui me plaît dans ce livre, c'est son style. (What I like in this book is its style.)

   • Ce qui is the subject of the verb plaît (pleases) in the relative clause ce qui me plaît.
   • Even though me (me) comes before plaît, ce qui is still the grammatical subject.

3. Ce qui arrive est inattendu. (What is happening is unexpected.)

   • Ce qui is the subject of the verb arrive (happens) in the relative clause ce qui arrive.
   • The entire clause ce qui arrive functions as the subject of the main verb est.

4. Ce qui compte, c'est l'effort. (What counts is the effort.)

   • Ce qui is the subject of the verb compte (counts) in the relative clause ce qui compte.

5. Ce qui m'étonne, c'est son silence. (What surprises me is his silence.)

   • Ce qui is the subject of the verb étonne (surprises) in the relative clause ce qui m'étonne.

Tips for using ce qui:

• Always look for the verb immediately following ce qui. If there is a verb, ce qui is likely the correct choice.
• If you can replace the phrase with "that which [verb]," ce qui is appropriate. For example, "That which is important is honesty."
• Pay attention to word order. Even if a pronoun like me or te comes between ce qui and the verb, ce qui remains the subject.

Ce Que: The Direct Object

Ce que acts as the direct object of the verb in the relative clause. It introduces a clause that receives the action of the verb. Think of it as replacing "that which" and being the thing that is acted upon in the subordinate clause.

Key characteristics of ce que:

• Always the direct object of the verb in the relative clause.
• Followed by a subject and a verb (the subject may be implied).
• Can often be replaced by "that which" or "what" followed by a subject and verb.
• May be followed by an elided form (ce qu') if the following word begins with a vowel or a silent h.

Examples of ce que in action:

1. Ce que je veux, c'est du chocolat. (What I want is chocolate.)

   • Ce que is the direct object of the verb veux (want) in the relative clause ce que je veux.
   • The subject of the verb veux is je (I).

2. Ce qu'il dit est vrai. (What he says is true.)

   • Ce qu' (elided form of ce que) is the direct object of the verb dit (says) in the relative clause ce qu'il dit.
   • The subject of the verb dit is il (he).

3. Je sais ce que tu as fait. (I know what you did.)

   • Ce que is the direct object of the verb as fait (did) in the relative clause ce que tu as fait.
   • The subject of the verb as fait is tu (you).

4. Ce qu'elle aime, c'est chanter. (What she likes is singing.)

   • Ce qu' (elided form of ce que) is the direct object of the verb aime (likes) in the relative clause ce qu'elle aime.
   • The subject of the verb aime is elle (she).

5. Ce que nous avons vu était incroyable. (What we saw was incredible.)

   • Ce que is the direct object of the verb avons vu (saw) in the relative clause ce que nous avons vu.
   • The subject of the verb avons vu is nous (we).

Tips for using ce que:

• Look for a subject and verb following ce que. If there is a subject performing an action on ce que, then ce que is likely the correct choice.
• If you can replace the phrase with "that which [subject] [verb]," ce que is appropriate. For example, "That which I want is chocolate."
• Remember the elision rule: ce qu' is used before words starting with a vowel or a silent h.

Ce Dont: The Object of a Preposition

Ce dont replaces a phrase that would normally be introduced by the preposition de. It's used when the verb or expression in the relative clause requires the preposition de. This preposition can indicate various relationships, such as possession, origin, cause, or the object of certain verbs and expressions. Think of it as replacing "that of which," "that about which," or "that from which."

Key characteristics of ce dont:

• Replaces a phrase introduced by the preposition de.
• Followed by a subject and a verb (the subject may be implied).
• The verb or expression in the relative clause requires the preposition de.
• Cannot be replaced by ce qui or ce que.

Common Verbs and Expressions Requiring de:

• Avoir besoin de (to need)
• Avoir envie de (to want, to feel like)
• Être content de (to be happy with)
• Être fier de (to be proud of)
• Se souvenir de (to remember)
• Parler de (to talk about)
• S'agir de (to be about)
• Dépendre de (to depend on)

Examples of ce dont in action:

1. Ce dont j'ai besoin, c'est de vacances. (What I need is a vacation.)

   • Ce dont replaces de vacances (of vacation).
   • The verb avoir besoin de (to need) requires the preposition de.
   • The subject of the verb ai besoin is je (I).

2. Ce dont il parle est intéressant. (What he is talking about is interesting.)

   • Ce dont replaces de cela (about that).
   • The verb parler de (to talk about) requires the preposition de.
   • The subject of the verb parle is il (he).

3. Ce dont je me souviens, c'est de son sourire. (What I remember is her smile.)

   • Ce dont replaces de son sourire (of her smile).
   • The verb se souvenir de (to remember) requires the preposition de.
   • The subject of the verb me souviens is je (I).

4. Ce dont elle est fière, c'est de ses enfants. (What she is proud of is her children.)

   • Ce dont replaces de ses enfants (of her children).
   • The expression être fier de (to be proud of) requires the preposition de.
   • The subject of the verb est fière is elle (she).

5. Ce dont tu as envie, c'est de pizza. (What you feel like is pizza.)

   • Ce dont replaces de pizza (of pizza).
   • The expression avoir envie de (to feel like) requires the preposition de.
   • The subject of the verb as envie is tu (you).

Tips for using ce dont:

• Identify the verb or expression in the relative clause. Does it require the preposition de? If so, ce dont is likely the correct choice.
• Think about what de would be referring to if it were present. Ce dont replaces that entire phrase.
• Memorize common verbs and expressions that require de.
• If you can rephrase the sentence to include "that of which," "that about which," or "that from which," ce dont is appropriate. For example, "That of which I am proud is my children."

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mastering ce qui, ce que, and ce dont requires careful attention to grammatical function and the specific needs of the verb or expression within the relative clause. Here are some common mistakes learners make and how to avoid them:

1. Confusing ce qui and ce que

• Mistake: Using ce que when the relative pronoun should be the subject of the verb.
• Example (Incorrect): Ce que arrive est inattendu. (What is happening is unexpected.)
• Correction: Ce qui arrive est inattendu.
• Explanation: Ce qui is needed because it is the subject of the verb arrive.

2. Confusing ce que and ce dont

• Mistake: Using ce que when the verb requires the preposition de.
• Example (Incorrect): Ce que j'ai besoin, c'est de vacances. (What I need is a vacation.)
• Correction: Ce dont j'ai besoin, c'est de vacances.
• Explanation: The verb avoir besoin de requires the preposition de, so ce dont is the correct choice.

3. Forgetting the Elision Rule with ce que

• Mistake: Not eliding ce que before a vowel or silent h.
• Example (Incorrect): Ce que il dit est vrai. (What he says is true.)
• Correction: Ce qu'il dit est vrai.
• Explanation: Ce que should be elided to ce qu' before the vowel i in il.

4. Misidentifying Verbs Requiring de

• Mistake: Using ce que when the verb or expression requires de, because you didn't recognize the need for the preposition.
• Example (Incorrect): Ce que elle est fière, c'est de ses enfants. (What she is proud of is her children.)
• Correction: Ce dont elle est fière, c'est de ses enfants.
• Explanation: Recognizing that être fière de requires de is crucial for using ce dont.

5. Overthinking the Translation

• Mistake: Trying to directly translate "what" into French without considering the grammatical function.
• Solution: Focus on the grammatical role of the relative pronoun in the French sentence rather than relying solely on the English translation.

Practice Exercises

To solidify your understanding of ce qui, ce que, and ce dont, try completing the following exercises. Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun.

1. ______ je préfère, c'est le chocolat noir.
2. ______ il a peur, c'est des araignées.
3. ______ nous avons besoin, c'est d'aide.
4. ______ tu dis est intéressant.
5. ______ elle se souvient, c'est de son enfance.
6. Je ne sais pas ______ vous voulez.
7. ______ est important, c'est l'amour.
8. ______ il parle, c'est de politique.
9. ______ j'aime dans cette ville, c'est son ambiance.
10. ______ elle est contente, c'est de son travail.

Answer Key:

1. Ce que
2. Ce dont
3. Ce dont
4. Ce que
5. Ce dont
6. Ce que
7. Ce qui
8. Ce dont
9. Ce que
10. Ce dont

Conclusion

Mastering ce qui, ce que, and ce dont is a significant step towards fluency in French. By understanding their grammatical functions as subject, direct object, and object of a preposition requiring de, you can construct more complex and accurate sentences. Remember to practice regularly, pay attention to the verbs and expressions used in conjunction with these relative pronouns, and avoid common mistakes by focusing on the grammatical structure rather than solely relying on translation. With consistent effort, you'll be able to confidently use ce qui, ce que, and ce dont in your French writing and speaking. Now you can express "what" you mean with greater precision and clarity!