Kilo Lingo

/ki/

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Translation

who, which, that (relative pronoun); who? (interrogative)

Word origin

From Latin qui ('who, which'), the nominative of the relative and interrogative pronoun.

Origin
Latin
Root
qui

Examples

C' ' .

That's the person who helped me yesterday.

?

Who took my keys?

' .

The dog that makes noise never attacks.

?

Who wants a bit more dessert?

.

The book that is on the table is mine.

est le pronom relatif sujet (la femme qui chante) et le pronom interrogatif pour les personnes (qui est la ?). Comme pronom relatif, qui ne s'elide jamais et ne varie pas en genre ni en nombre. Il peut representer aussi bien des personnes que des choses, mais pour les choses le registre soutenu prefere parfois lequel/laquelle.

La confusion classique est entre qui (sujet, pas d'elision) et que/qu' (objet direct, avec elision). Dans l'homme qui parle le pronom est sujet du verbe parle : on emploie qui. Dans l'homme que j'ai vu il est objet de voir : on emploie que. Tester la fonction syntaxique permet de choisir correctement.

Where this fits

Used in

Grammar articles

(19)

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qui: worksheet, infographic and listicle

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This word is part of lesson 1.