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Accueil > Grammaire > Phrase > Relative pronouns
Une proposition relative est une proposition (un morceau de phrase) qui apporte une information concernant un
nom de la phrase. Le pronom relatif est le mot qui remplace ce nom dans la proposition, et relie donc cette
dernière à ce nom (l'antécédent). Le choix du pronom relatif se fera donc en prenant ce double rôle en compte,
selon la fonction du pronom relatif dans la proposition, et selon que l'antécédent est humain ou non.
v antécédent
fonction >
sujet du verbe
(= qui)
complément du verbe
(= que, à qui, sur lesquelles, ...)
complément d'un nom
(= dont)
humain
who - that
who(m*) - that - Ø
whose
non humain
which - that
which* - that - Ø
whose - the N of which
* obligatoire après une préposition
That ne s'emploie généralement que dans les propositions relatives nécessaires à la construction d'une phrase
correcte :
These things, which break, are dangerous. On peut dire : These things are dangerous. La proposition relative
n'est pas nécessaire à la construction d'une phrase correcte (elle est souvent séparée du reste de la phrase par des
virgules). On n'utilisera pas that.
The things that break are dangerous. On ne peut pas dire : The things are dangerous. (which things?) La
proposition relative est nécessaire à la construction d'une phrase correcte (elle n'est pas séparée du reste de la
phrase par des virgules). On utilisera that.
Fonction : pronom relatif sujet du verbe
Antécédent humain
Cette personne, qui connait la solution, est absente. > This person, who knows the solution, is absent.
La personne qui connait la solution est absente. > The person that knows the solution is absent. (= The person
who knows the solution is absent.)
Antécédent non humain
Ces choses, qui cassent, sont dangereuses. > These things, which break, are dangerous.
Les choses qui cassent sont dangereuses. > The things that break are dangerous.
Fonction : pronom relatif complément du verbe
complément direct (sans préposition)
Antécédent humain
Cette personne, que tu connais, est absente. > This person, who(m) you know, is absent.
La personne que tu connais est absente. > The person that you know is absent. = The person you know is
absent.
Antécédent non humain
Ces choses, que tu aimes, sont dangereuses. > These things, which you like, are dangerous.
Les choses que tu aimes sont dangereuses. > The things that you like are dangerous. = The things you like are
dangerous.
complément indirect (avec préposition)
Antécédent humain
Cette personne, à qui tu parles, est gentille. > This person, to whom you are talking, is nice. = This person,
who(m) you are talking to, is nice.
La personne à qui tu parles est gentille. > The person that you are talking to is nice. = The person you are
talking to is nice. (= The person who(m) you are talking to is nice.)
Antécédent non humain
Ces choses, auxquelles tu penses, sont dangereuses. > These things, about which you are thinking, are
dangerous. = These things, which you are thinking about, are dangerous.
Les choses auxquelles tu penses sont dangereuses. > The things that you are thinking about are dangerous. =
The things you are thinking about are dangerous.

Fonction : pronom relatif complément d'un nom
Antécédent humain
Cette personne, dont les idées sont si bonnes, est gentille. > This person, whose ideas are so good, is nice.
Antécédent non humain
Les objets dont la taille est trop petite sont dangereux. > The things whose size is too small are dangerous. =
The things the size of which is too small are dangerous.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun
(except that). If you think you can write nothing,
type 0 (zero).
1. I have just met a man _____ says he knows you.
2. The car _____ you have just bought is very
expensive.
3. He wants to buy the house _____ is at the end of
the street.
4. The student _____ you like is from Germany.
5. The teacher _____ is so strict is ill.
6. I need a pen _____ writes in blue.
Exercise 2
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans
utiliser that.
1. Les pays qui t'attirent sont africains. The
countries ______________________ are African
2. Les enfants qui aident leurs parents sont bien
éduqués. The children ______________________
are well-educated.
3. Je déteste les voitures qui roulent vite. I hate the
cars ______________________.
4. Nous voulons un ordinateur qui a des jeux
vidéos. We want a computer
______________________.
Exercise 3
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun
(except that). If you think you can write nothing,
type 0 (zero).
1. This idea, _____ came to me yesterday, is not so
bad.
2. The manager _____ wants to see you is very
angry.
3. The bus for _____ you are waiting is very late.
4. The man _____ we are looking at, seems strange.
5. The man for _____ the police is looking is
dangerous.
6. I need a teacher _____ method is efficient.
Exercise 4
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans
utiliser "that".
(conjuguer le verbe au present be+ing non
contracté)
1. Ce sont des solutions qui nous aident. These are
solutions _____________________________.
2. Le professeur que tu écoutes est bien connu. The
teacher _____________________________ is well
known.
3. Les étudiants avec qui tu travailles sont très
intelligents. The students
_____________________________ are very
intelligent.
4. L'école dont les élèves travaillent bien a une
bonne réputation. The school
_____________________________ has a good
reputation.
Exercise 5
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun
(except that). If you think you can write nothing,
type 0 (zero).
1. This town, _____ inhabitants are poor, needs
financial help.
2. The children _____ you are playing with are very
happy.
3. The book _____ is in the window is not for sale.
4. The person _____ they travel with is a guide.
5. The parents _____ children are here will come
later.
6. Here is the table _____ your father put your
money on.
Exercise 6
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans
utiliser "that".
(conjuguer le verbe au present be+ing non
contracté)
1. L'homme dont les enfants jouent ici est absent.
The man _______________________________ is
absent.
2. L'homme dont tu parles est absent. The man
_______________________________ is absent.
3. J'aime la maison dans laquelle tu habites. I like
the house _______________________________.
4. La femme à qui elle écrit est très riche. The
woman _______________________________ is
very rich.

Relative pronouns 6
which you are living in whom she is writing to whom you are talking about whose children are playing here
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 6
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans utiliser "that".
(conjuguer le verbe au present be+ing non contracté)
1. L'homme dont les enfants jouent ici est absent. The man whose children are playing here is absent.
2. L'homme dont tu parles est absent. The man whom you are talking about is absent.
3. J'aime la maison dans laquelle tu habites. I like the house which you are living in.
4. La femme à qui elle écrit est très riche. The woman whom she is writing to is very rich.Relative pronouns 5
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun (except that). If you think you can write nothing, type 0 (zero).
1. This town, _____ inhabitants are poor, needs financial help.
2. The children _____ you are playing with are very happy.
3. The book _____ is in the window is not for sale.
4. The person _____ they travel with is a guide.
5. The parents _____ children are here will come later.
6. Here is the table _____ your father put your money on.
which which whom whom whose whose
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 5
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun (except that). If you think you can write nothing, type 0 (zero).
1. This town, whose inhabitants are poor, needs financial help.
2. The children whom you are playing with are very happy.
3. The book which is in the window is not for sale.
4. The person whom they travel with is a guide.
5. The parents whose children are here will come later.
6. Here is the table which your father put your money on.
which are helping us whom you are listening to whom you are working with whose pupils are working well
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 4
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans utiliser "that".
(conjuguer le verbe au present be+ing non contracté)
1. Ce sont des solutions qui nous aident. These are solutions which are helping us.
2. Le professeur que tu écoutes est bien connu. The teacher whom you are listening to is well known.
3. Les étudiants avec qui tu travailles sont très intelligents. The students whom you are working with are very
intelligent.
4. L'école dont les élèves travaillent bien a une bonne réputation. The school whose pupils are working well has
a good reputation.
which which who whom whom whose
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 3
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun (except that). If you think you can write nothing, type 0 (zero).
1. This idea, which came to me yesterday, is not so bad.
2. The manager who wants to see you is very angry.
3. The bus for which you are waiting is very late.
4. The man whom we are looking at, seems strange.
5. The man for whom the police is looking is dangerous.
6. I need a teacher whose method is efficient. which which which who who whom
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 1
Fill in the blanks with the right relative pronoun (except that). If you think you can write nothing, type 0 (zero).
1. I have just met a man who says he knows you.
2. The car which you have just bought is very expensive.
3. He wants to buy the house which is at the end of the street.
4. The student whom you like is from Germany.

5. The teacher who is so strict is ill.
6. I need a pen which writes in blue.
which attract you which drive fast which has video games who help their parents
----------Key----------
Relative pronouns 2
Traduire les morceaux de phrases suivants, sans utiliser that.
1. Les pays qui t'attirent sont africains. The countries which attract you are African
2. Les enfants qui aident leurs parents sont bien éduqués. The children who help their parents are well-educated.
3. Je déteste les voitures qui roulent vite. I hate the cars which drive fast.
4. Nous voulons un ordinateur qui a des jeux vidéos. We want a computer which has video games.