When do we use "ce qui", "ce que", "ce dont" ?

In French, there are three different ways to express "what" in a sentence; one can use ce qui, ce que, or ce dont. To understand when to use which one it is helpful to look at three examples. 1) The sentence "I don’t understand what’s happening" translated into French is "Je ne comprends pas ce qui se passe." Here we use ce qui because "what" is the subject of the verb that follows. 2) The sentence "He doesn't understand what I am doing" translated into French is "Il ne comprend pas ce que je fais." Here we use ce que because "what" is the object of the verb that follows. Ce que can also become ce qu' when followed by a vowel (e.g. ce qu'il, ce qu'elle, ce qu'on).3) The sentence "I don't understand what he is talking about" translated into French is "Je ne comprends pas ce dont il parle." Here we use ce dont because the verb parler is followed by de (e.g. parler de la pluie et du beau temps, parler des joueurs de foot). To sum it up, we use ce qui when "what" is the subject of the verb that follows; ce que/ce qu' when "what" is the object of the verb that follows; ce dont when "what" is followed by a verb that uses de, du, or des.

TD
Answered by Tim D. French tutor

2917 Views

See similar French A Level tutors

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

How can I get a high mark in an unprepared discursive essay?


How can I improve my French listening skills and vocabulary ?


When do I know whether to use "tu" or "vous"?


How do you know when to use savoir or connaitre?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning