dont

Relative Pronoun Dont

Level 3

The relative pronoun dont connects two clauses by replacing a noun or phrase that follows the preposition de. It often translates to 'whose', 'of which', or 'about which'.

How It Works

The pronoun dont is one of the most useful relative pronouns in French because the de preposition is so common. It is invariable, meaning it never changes for gender or number, and it can be used for both people and things (e.g., le livre dont je parle vs. l'homme dont je parle).

1. Possession (Whose)
It replaces a possessive relationship. Unlike English 'whose', the noun being possessed must keep its article, and the clause maintains a standard subject-verb-object word order (the object does not move directly next to dont). Note: You cannot use a possessive adjective like son or sa after dont. Also, dont is only a relative pronoun, not an interrogative one; you cannot use it to ask "Whose is this?" (use à qui instead).
Example: L'homme dont je connais le fils. (The man whose son I know.)
If the possessed noun is the subject, it does immediately follow dont.
Example: L'homme dont le fils est médecin. (The man whose son is a doctor.)

2. With Verbs and Adjectives requiring 'de'
If a verb or adjective uses de, like avoir besoin de or être fier de, you generally use dont (though de qui is also an option when referring to people).
Example: C'est le livre dont j'ai besoin. (That is the book that I need.)

3. Quantity and Partitives (Including/Of which)
Use dont to indicate a specific number or portion of a larger group.
Example: Il a trois voitures, dont une Ferrari. (He has three cars, including one Ferrari.)

4. Simple 'de' vs. Compound Prepositions
Dont can only replace a phrase introduced by a simple de. If the preposition is compound (e.g., à côté de, en face de), you must use a form of duquel / de laquelle / desquels / desquelles (or de qui for people).
Example: La table à côté de laquelle je suis assis. (The table next to which I am sitting.)

5. Origin: 'dont' vs. 'd'où'
While dont can express origin (la famille dont il est issu), use d'où for physical movement or geographical starting points.
Example: La ville d'où il vient. (The city where he comes from.)

6. Prepositional Conflict
You cannot use dont if the possessed noun is preceded by another preposition. In this case, you generally use a form of duquel (or de qui for people).
Example: L'homme au fils duquel j'ai parlé. (The man to whose son I spoke.)

7. Indefinite Antecedent (ce dont)
When there is no specific noun antecedent, use ce dont to mean "what" (the thing of which).
Example: C'est ce dont j'ai besoin. (That is what I need.)

Examples (6)

  1. C'est le film dont je t'ai parlé hier.

    It's the movie I told you about yesterday.

    Word by Word: It is the film of which I to you have spoken yesterday.

    The verb parler takes the de preposition. Therefore, 'dont' is used to link the movie to the action of speaking.

  2. L'écrivain dont le livre est célèbre sera là.

    The writer whose book is famous will be there.

    Word by Word: The writer of whom the book is famous will be there.

    Here, 'dont' expresses possession. Notice that 'le livre' retains its definite article.

  3. L'écrivain dont j'ai lu le livre est célèbre.

    The writer whose book I read is famous.

    Word by Word: The writer of whom I have read the book is famous.

    When the possessed noun is the object of the clause, it stays after the verb. You cannot say 'dont le livre j'ai lu'.

  4. C'est un outil dont nous avons souvent besoin.

    It's a tool that we often need.

    Word by Word: It is a tool of which we have often need.

    The expression 'avoir besoin de' requires 'de', so 'dont' is the correct relative pronoun.

  5. J'ai dix livres, dont trois en français.

    I have ten books, including three in French.

    Word by Word: I have ten books, of which three in French.

    When expressing a part of a whole (quantity), 'dont' is used to mean 'of which' or 'including'.

  6. L'immeuble à côté duquel j'habite est vieux.

    The building next to which I live is old.

    Word by Word: The building at side of which I live is old.

    You cannot use 'dont' with compound prepositions like 'à côté de'. You must use duquel instead.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a possessive adjective (mon, ton, son, etc.) after 'dont'.

    L'homme dont son fils est ici.
    L'homme dont le fils est ici.

    Since 'dont' already expresses possession, you must use a definite article (le, la, les) instead of a possessive adjective.

  • Changing the word order for objects to match English 'whose'.

    L'homme dont le fils je connais.
    L'homme dont je connais le fils.

    In French, if the possessed noun is the object, it must remain in its normal position after the verb.

  • Adding the pronoun 'en' inside a 'dont' clause.

    Le film dont j'en ai parlé.
    Le film dont j'ai parlé.

    Both 'dont' and en replace 'de + noun'. Using both in the same clause is redundant.

How It Connects

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dontLevel 3Relative Pronoun Dont

Learn This First

To learn 'dont', you must first understand how relative pronouns like 'qui' and 'que' function to combine sentences. Crucially, you need a solid grasp of the preposition 'de', as 'dont' is used specifically to replace nouns or phrases that are objects of 'de' (indicating possession or following verbs like 'parler de').

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