Qui vs que in French: the simple rule for relative pronouns

As relative pronouns — the “who”, “that”, or “which” that joins two parts of a sentence — qui and que split the work by grammar, not by meaning. Use qui when it is the subject of the verb that follows, and que when it is the object. In simple beginner sentences, the fastest test is to look at the next word: if a verb comes right after, use qui; if a new subject (a noun or pronoun like je, tu, Marie) comes next, use que.

Both can mean who, that, or which — the choice depends only on the job the pronoun does in its clause.

qui = the subject (it does the action)

If the pronoun is the one doing the verb, it is qui. Notice that a verb comes straight after it.

La femme qui parle est ma prof.
The woman who is speaking is my teacher.

C’est le train qui va à Lyon.
It’s the train that goes to Lyon.

que = the object (it receives the action)

If someone else does the verb and the pronoun is what the verb acts on, it is que. A new subject always appears right after it.

La femme que je vois est ma prof.
The woman (that) I see is my teacher.

C’est le film que Marie regarde.
It’s the film (that) Marie is watching.

The look-ahead test

Most beginner examples are this clean: you do not have to analyse the whole sentence — just check the word after the blank:

• next word is a verb → qui (qui parle, qui est, qui va);
• next word is a subject → que (que je, que tu, que Marie).

le gâteau ___ sent bon → qui (the verb sent follows)
le gâteau ___ tu prépares → que (the subject tu follows)

A small caveat for later: short object pronouns can sit between qui and the verb (la femme qui me parle). The core rule is still subject vs object, not an absolute “very next written word” rule.

English drops “that” — French never drops que

In English you can leave the relative pronoun out: “the book I read”. In French the pronoun is required, so you must keep que.

le livre que je lis
the book (that) I read

Also note the spelling: que becomes qu' before a vowel (qu’il, qu’elle, qu’on), while qui never changes.

Common mistakes

Using que before a verb

If a verb follows, the pronoun is the subject, so it must be qui.

le train que arrive → le train qui arrive
the train that is arriving

Using qui before a subject

If a new subject follows, the pronoun is the object, so it must be que.

le film qui j’aime → le film que j’aime
the film (that) I like

Forgetting to elide que

Before a vowel, que must contract to qu'.

le livre que il écrit → le livre qu’il écrit
the book (that) he is writing

This is only the basic subject-versus-object split; relative pronouns like dont and où handle other jobs and come later. The same “what comes next?” reflex helps with choosing c’est or il est too. In Fluera you build these relative clauses in short sentences and check the form by ear, so the qui/que choice becomes a quick look-ahead rather than a rule you recite. Try it when you practice French.

Practice