Practice Makes Perfect

Ce que, ce qui, ce dont, ce à quoi

When there is no specific word or antecedent for the relative pronoun to refer to, the antecedent 

ce is combined with the pronoun. Ce qui, ce que, ce dont, and ce à quoi, all meaning what, refer 

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Relative pronouns 

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to ideas, not to persons, and do not have gender or number. Choosing the correct indefinite rela-

tive pronoun again depends on the pronoun’s function in the sentence (subject, direct object, or 

object of a preposition). Here again, it will be useful to review the verbs and their prepositions in 

Chapter 21.

Ce qui is used as the subject of the dependent clause.

J’aime ce qui est fabriqué dans cet  

I like what is made (what they make) in 

atelier. 

  this workshop.

Il ne sait pas ce qui a provoqué leur  

He does not know what triggered their 

réaction. 

 reaction.

Qui sait ce qui est arrivé? 

Who knows what happened?

J’aimerais savoir ce qui lui plairait. 

I’d like to know what she would like.

Ce que is used as the direct object of the dependent clause.

Savez-vous ce qu’il fait ces jours-ci? 

Do you know what he is doing these days?

Tu comprends ce que ce journaliste  

Do you understand what this journalist