Lequel

Lequel

Lequel, which usually means which, is arguably the most

difficult French pronoun.

Lequel has four basic forms, because it has to agree in gender

and number with the noun it replaces.

In addition, lequel has several contracted forms - like the

definite articles le and les, lequel contracts with the prepositions

à and de. You can see all of these forms in the table below.

Lequel is usually either an interrogative pronoun or a relative

pronoun.

Lequel

Interrogative pronoun: Lequel replaces quel + noun.

• Quel livre veux-tu ? > Lequel veux-tu ?

• Which book do you want? > Which one do you want?

• Je veux la pomme là-bas. > Laquelle ?

• I want the apple over there. > Which one?

• Je pense à mon frère. > Auquel penses-tu ? [À quel frère...]

• I'm thinking about my brother. > Which one are you thinking about?

Lequel

Relative pronoun: Lequel replaces an inanimate object of a

preposition. (If the object of the preposition is a person, use

qui.)

• Le livre dans lequel j'ai écrit...

• The book in which I wrote...

• La ville à laquelle je songe...

• The town about which I'm dreaming...

• Le cinéma près duquel j'ai mangé...

• The theater near which I ate... / The theater I ate near...

Singular Plural

Masculine Feminine Masculine Feminine

Forms lequel laquelle lesquels lesquelles

à +

lequelauquel à laquelle auxquels auxquelles

de +

lequelduquel

de laquelle

desquels desquelles