The complex relative pronouns are called complex because they are composed of two or more words.
“ lequel” is composed of “le” and “quel”
“de laquelle” is composed of “de”, “la” and “laquelle”
These pronouns agree in gender and in number with the antecedent.
Note that lequel, lesquels, and lesquelles are not used with the prepositions “ de” and “à”.
Examples:
Voici la porte par laquelle le voleur s’est enfui.
Here is the door through which the thief escaped.
L’article de journal selon lequel le Président aurait démissioné est faux.
The newspaper article which claimed that the President resigned is false.
Les outils avec lesquels il a réparé sa voiture ne lui appartiennent pas.
The tools with which he fixed his car don’t belong to him.
Les terres sur lesquelles il a bâti son empire étaient très fertiles.
The land on which he built his empire was very fertile.
He talked with the new manager who was working with the rival company.
Le commissaire a interrogé deux suspects, lesquels ont nié avoir une quelconque relation avec le criminel.
The police chief interrogated two suspects who denied having any relationship with the criminal.
Remember:
When the antecedent is a person, it is preferable to use “qui”.
We never say: de lequel, de lesquels, de lesquelles, but we can say de laquelle
For example:
La femme avec qui j’ai vécu une vingtaine d’années m’a quitté sans explication.
The woman whom I lived with for twenty years left me without an explanation.
These pronouns are used when the preposition “de” is used before lequel, lesquels and lesquelles.
Examples:
L’hôtel près duquel se trouve l’ambassade des États-Unis a été démoli.
The hotel next to the U.S embassy has been demolished.
Nous avons visité une villa magnifique qui comprend vingt pièces et au milieu de laquelle se trouve un jardin botanique avec un grand bassin.
We visited a gorgeous villa that has twenty rooms and in the middle of which there is a botanical garden and a big pond.
Voici les fosses funèbres au fond desquelles on a retrouvé des urnes vieilles de dix mille ans.
Here are the graves in the bottom of which we found ten thousand year old urns.
Les jardins le long desquels nous nous promenions souvent n’existent plus.
The gardens along which we often used to walk no longer exist.
These complex relative pronouns are used when the preposition "à" is used before lequel, lesquels, and lesquelles.
For example:
Les questions auxquelles il n’a pas répondu ne faisaient pas partie du programme.
The questions he didn’t answer were not part of the curriculum.
L’incident auquel vous faites allusion n’est plus à l’ordre du jour.
The incident you are referring to is no longer on the agenda.
La situation à laquelle j’ai fait face n’était pas facile.
The situation I faced was not easy.
Voici les projets auxquels vous devriez vous intéresser.
Here are the projects in which you should be interested.
“ lequel” is composed of “le” and “quel”
“de laquelle” is composed of “de”, “la” and “laquelle”
1. Lequel, laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles
These pronouns agree in gender and in number with the antecedent.
| singular | plural | |
| masculine | lequel | lesquels |
| feminine | laquelle | lesquelles |
1.1 Lequel, laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles as an object of a preposition
When used as an object of a preposition, they refer to an antecedent that is not a person. These relative pronouns agree in gender and in number with the antecedent. They are generally preceded by prepositions such as: sur, parmi, sans, sous, avec, selon, pour, par etc...Note that lequel, lesquels, and lesquelles are not used with the prepositions “ de” and “à”.
Examples:
Voici la porte par laquelle le voleur s’est enfui.
Here is the door through which the thief escaped.
L’article de journal selon lequel le Président aurait démissioné est faux.
The newspaper article which claimed that the President resigned is false.
Les outils avec lesquels il a réparé sa voiture ne lui appartiennent pas.
The tools with which he fixed his car don’t belong to him.
Les terres sur lesquelles il a bâti son empire étaient très fertiles.
The land on which he built his empire was very fertile.
1.2 Lequel, laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles as a subject
Il a discuté avec la nouvelle directrice, laquelle travaillait pour la compagnie rivale.He talked with the new manager who was working with the rival company.
Le commissaire a interrogé deux suspects, lesquels ont nié avoir une quelconque relation avec le criminel.
The police chief interrogated two suspects who denied having any relationship with the criminal.
Remember:
When the antecedent is a person, it is preferable to use “qui”.
We never say: de lequel, de lesquels, de lesquelles, but we can say de laquelle
For example:
La femme avec qui j’ai vécu une vingtaine d’années m’a quitté sans explication.
The woman whom I lived with for twenty years left me without an explanation.
2. Duquel, desquels, and desquelles
These pronouns are used when the preposition “de” is used before lequel, lesquels and lesquelles.
| singular | plural | |
| masculine | duquel | desquels |
| feminine | de laquelle | desquelles |
Examples:
L’hôtel près duquel se trouve l’ambassade des États-Unis a été démoli.
The hotel next to the U.S embassy has been demolished.
Nous avons visité une villa magnifique qui comprend vingt pièces et au milieu de laquelle se trouve un jardin botanique avec un grand bassin.
We visited a gorgeous villa that has twenty rooms and in the middle of which there is a botanical garden and a big pond.
Voici les fosses funèbres au fond desquelles on a retrouvé des urnes vieilles de dix mille ans.
Here are the graves in the bottom of which we found ten thousand year old urns.
Les jardins le long desquels nous nous promenions souvent n’existent plus.
The gardens along which we often used to walk no longer exist.
3. Auquel, auxquels, and auxquelles
These complex relative pronouns are used when the preposition "à" is used before lequel, lesquels, and lesquelles.
| singular | plural | |
| masculine | auquel | auxquels |
| feminine | à laquelle | auxquelles |
For example:
Les questions auxquelles il n’a pas répondu ne faisaient pas partie du programme.
The questions he didn’t answer were not part of the curriculum.
L’incident auquel vous faites allusion n’est plus à l’ordre du jour.
The incident you are referring to is no longer on the agenda.
La situation à laquelle j’ai fait face n’était pas facile.
The situation I faced was not easy.
Voici les projets auxquels vous devriez vous intéresser.
Here are the projects in which you should be interested.