quiconque

Whoever with Quiconque

Level 4

Quiconque is a formal pronoun used to mean 'whoever' or 'anyone who.' It is most common in legal, administrative, and literary contexts.

How It Works

Quiconque is a versatile but formal tool in the French language. While you won't often hear it in a café, you will see it on every official notice and in every law book.

1. Grammatical Function
It serves two main roles:

  • Relative Subject: It starts a clause and acts as the subject. Example: Quiconque enfreint la loi... (Whoever breaks the law...). Note that you do not add 'qui' after it.
  • Indefinite Pronoun: It can follow a preposition or be used in comparisons to mean 'anybody at all.' Example: Il est plus sage que quiconque. (He is wiser than anyone).

2. Negative Contexts
In formal writing, quiconque can also mean 'no one' or 'anyone' in a negative sense, similar to ne...personne. Example: Il n'en a parlé à quiconque. (He didn't speak of it to anyone).

3. Agreement and Form

  • It is invariable; it never becomes plural.
  • It is traditionally masculine singular by default. However, if it refers specifically to a group of women, adjectives following it can take feminine agreement (e.g., Quiconque d'entre vous est prête...).
  • Unlike many French words ending in 'e', it does not undergo elision. You write quiconque arrive, never quiconqu'arrive.

4. Register and Nuance
This pronoun belongs to the style soutenu (formal style). In casual speech, French speakers prefer n'importe qui or celui qui. Quiconque carries a tone of absolute authority or categorical truth.

Examples (4)

  1. Quiconque aura des renseignements est prié de contacter la police.

    Whoever has information is requested to contact the police.

    Word by Word: Whoever will have some information is prayed to contact the police.

    Here, 'quiconque' acts as the subject of the entire sentence and the relative clause.

  2. Il connaît ce sujet mieux que quiconque.

    He knows this subject better than anyone.

    Word by Word: He knows this subject better than anyone.

    In this comparison, 'quiconque' functions as an indefinite pronoun meaning 'anybody at all'.

  3. Il est interdit à quiconque de pénétrer dans l'enceinte sans autorisation.

    It is forbidden for anyone to enter the premises without authorization.

    Word by Word: It is forbidden to anyone to penetrate in the enclosure without authorization.

    This is a classic legal usage where 'quiconque' follows the preposition 'à'.

  4. Quiconque veut réussir doit travailler dur.

    Whoever wants to succeed must work hard.

    Word by Word: Whoever wants to succeed must work hard.

    Notice there is no 'qui' after 'quiconque'; it is the subject itself.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a redundant relative pronoun 'qui' after 'quiconque'.

    Quiconque qui veut venir est le bienvenu.
    Quiconque veut venir est le bienvenu.

    'Quiconque' already functions as the relative subject. Adding 'qui' is grammatically redundant and incorrect.

  • Using a double subject (adding 'il' later in the sentence).

    Quiconque fera cela, il sera puni.
    Quiconque fera cela sera puni.

    Because 'quiconque' is the subject of the whole structure, adding 'il' creates an unnecessary repetition.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

quiconqueLevel 4Whoever with Quiconque

Learn This First

To understand 'quiconque', a learner needs to be comfortable with how relative pronouns function as subjects within a sentence. Since 'quiconque' is an indefinite pronoun meaning 'anyone who' or 'whoever', familiarity with basic indefinite pronouns and third-person singular verb agreement is essential for its correct usage in formal or legal contexts.

Words in This Pattern

quiconque