What is the difference between 'qui' and 'que' in subordinate clauses?

'Qui' and 'que' are relative pronouns, both meaning either 'who' or that'/'which'. The problem is that the French grammar works differently to English grammar when it comes to relative pronouns, meaning a direct translation is not possible. The quickest and most simple way to distinguish between the two is knowing that 'qui' will always be followed by a conjugated verb (e.g. "L'homme qui fait la cuisine" - the man who does the cooking), whereas 'que' will be followed by the subject (e.g. "L'homme que j'ai vu" - the man who I saw). As demonstrated by this example, who can be translated as both 'qui' and 'que' depending on the grammatical context.

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Answered by Annie H. French tutor

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