What level is Indefinite Relatives: "Ce dont"?

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French Grammar

Indefinite Relatives: "Ce dont"

Managing indefinite relative clauses that reference objects governed by the preposition de ("what I need").

Level B1 Category Grammar

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Lesson Summary

Managing indefinite relative clauses that reference objects governed by the preposition de ("what I need").

Grammar

When ‘What’ Involves ‘De’

The indefinite relative pronouns ce qui (subject) and ce que (direct object) are studied in ce qui vs. ce que. When the verb or expression inside the relative clause is followed by the preposition de, the corresponding indefinite pronoun is ce dont. It corresponds to English ‘what… of’, ‘what… about’, or ‘what… from’.

Ce dont – Common Triggers

Verb / Expression + de	Example with Ce Dont
avoir besoin de (to need)	Voici ce dont j’ai besoin. (Here is what I need.)
parler de (to talk about)	Je ne sais pas ce dont tu parles. (I don’t know what you are talking about.)
se souvenir de (to remember)	Raconte‑moi ce dont tu te souviens. (Tell me what you remember.)
avoir envie de (to want / fancy)	Dis‑moi ce dont tu as envie. (Tell me what you feel like.)
être fier / fière de (to be proud of)	C’est ce dont je suis le plus fier. (That’s what I’m most proud of.)

Structure

The sequence is always ce dont + subject + verb. The clause follows normal word order.
- Ce dont j’ai besoin, c’est du temps. (What I need is time.)
- Ce dont nous parlons est confidentiel. (What we are talking about is confidential.)

Summary of the Three Indefinite Relatives

The choice depends entirely on the grammatical role of the missing element within the relative clause.
- Ce qui = subject: Ce qui se passe est grave.
- Ce que = direct object: Ce que tu dis est important.
- Ce dont = complement of de: Ce dont tu parles est intéressant.

Examples

Expliquez‑moi ce dont vous avez besoin pour la formation.
Avoir besoin de triggers ce dont.
Ce dont les salariés se plaignent le plus, c'est le manque de communication.
The verb se plaindre de requires ce dont.

Related searches

These are the main phrases this lesson covers:

Indefinite Relatives: "Ce dont"Managing indefinite relative clauses that reference objects governed by the preposition de ("what I need").Formulate expressions of need or desire using the correct indefinite relative pronoun ce dont after verbs and expressions that require de.GrammarB1grammarLearn French GrammarFrench GrammarWhen ‘What’ Involves ‘De’The indefinite relative pronouns ce qui (subject) and ce que (direct object) are studied in ce qui vs. ce que. When the verb or expression inside the relative clause is followed by the preposition de, the corresponding indefinite pronoun is ce dont. It corresponds to English ‘what… of’, ‘what… about’, or ‘what… from’.