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Grammar
Objective: Use dont to replace a de-complement in a relative clause, and distinguish it from que in the same structure.
| Verb or adjective | Construction | Example with dont | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| parler | de + person | L'homme dont je parle. | The man I am speaking about. |
| avoir besoin | de + thing | Le livre dont j'ai besoin. | The book I need. |
| être fier | de + person | La personne dont je suis fier. | The person I am proud of. |
| s'occuper | de + thing | Le projet dont il s'occupe. | The project he is handling. |
| se souvenir | de + event | L'époque dont il se souvient. | The time he remembers. |
| être responsable | de + thing | La décision dont il est responsable. | The decision he is responsible for. |
Parler de takes the preposition de, so the relative pronoun is dont, not que. Que only replaces a direct object.
Avoir besoin de requires dont because the verb takes de, and que only replaces a direct object.
Parler de takes the preposition de, so the relative pronoun is dont. The main clause continues after the relative clause.
Avoir besoin de uses de, and the thing needed is the antecedent. The relative pronoun replaces the whole de-phrase.
Être fier de takes de, and the person is the antecedent. The adjective fier agrees with the speaker in this example.
The de-complement depends on the noun le livre, and the relative pronoun replaces the author. The definite article precedes the noun inside the clause.
The de-complement depends on the noun la raison, and the relative pronoun replaces the reason. The main clause describes that reason.
7 exercises · about 11 minutes
Dont already contains the meaning of de, so a second de or a stressed pronoun such as lui would be redundant.
Regarder takes a direct object, so the relative pronoun is que, not dont. Dont would only appear if the verb required de.
Voici introduces the antecedent, and the relative clause attaches directly to it. The pronoun t' is the indirect object of parler.
Parler de uses de, and the antecedent is an abstract noun. The same structure applies to people, things, and ideas.
Être responsable de uses de, and the decision is the antecedent. The main clause reports when the decision was made.