This is a comprehensive lesson on the French relative pronoun DONT for upper-intermediate B2 level learners. This advanced level lesson includes a grammar video tutorial (scroll down to watch) in which I explain rules and show you plenty of examples so you can see how this pronoun is used in context. I will guide you through a 24 minute video, and you will feel as if we’re sitting together in a private lesson!
Relative pronouns link two parts of a sentence together. They make relative clauses and main clauses relate to one another. By using relative pronouns you can avoid repetition.
👉 There are 5 relative pronouns in French:
DONT – OÙ – QUE – QUI – LEQUEL
In this lesson we will focus on DONT because it’s definitely the trickiest to use.
👉 DONT replaces:
DE + PERSON or THING (like the pronoun EN which isn’t a relative pronoun). Relative pronouns are necessary in French, but they’re often optional in English.
👉 Look for the preposition DE:
- Je te parlais de mon ami. Voici mon ami.
- Saying mon ami twice is repetitive.
👉 DONT is the SOLUTION TO REPETITION…
- Voici mon ami. Je t’ai parlé de mon ami.
- C’est mon ami dont je t’ai parlé.
👉 The preposition DE is essential. You can’t just get rid of it, but you can replace it with DONT.
- Voici mon ami dont je te parlais.
- Here is my friend (of whom) I was speaking.
- Here’s my friend who I was speaking to you about.
👉 Remember that you can also use the pronoun EN to replace DE, but not to link two clauses.
- Je te parlais de mon ami.
- Je t’en parlais.
- I was talking to you about him.
👉 Look for the preposition DE:
- C’est un joli jardin. Je m’occupe de ce joli jardin.
- Saying joli jardin twice is repetitive.
👉 DONT is the SOLUTION TO REPETITION…
- C’est un joli jardin. Je m’occupe de ce joli jardin.
- C’est le joli jardin dont je m’occupe.
👉 DE is essential. Replace it with DONT.
- C’est le joli jardin dont je m’occupe.
- This is the garden (of which) I take care.
- This is the garden (that) I take care of.
👉 Remember that you can also use the pronoun EN to replace DE.
- Je m’occupe de ce joli jardin.
- Je m’en occupe.
- I take care of it.
👉 Look for the preposition DE:
- C’est une robe. Je n’aime pas la couleur de cette robe.
- Saying robe twice is repetitive.
👉 Common French expressions that are followed by DE and used with DONT:
AVOIR BESOIN DE – TO NEED
- Ce sont des ingrédients. J’ai besoin d’ingrédients.
- Ce sont les ingrédients dont j’ai besoin.
- These are the ingredients (that) I need.
RÊVER DE – TO DREAM ABOUT
- Ce sont des chaussures. Je rêve de ces chaussures!
- Ce sont les chaussures dont je rêve!
- These are the shoes (that) I’m dreaming of!
AVOIR PEUR DE – TO BE AFRAID OF
- C’est un gros rat. J’ai peur de ce gros rat.
- C’est le gros rat dont j’ai peur.
- That’s the big rat (that) I’m afraid of.
SE SOUVENIR DE – TO REMEMBER
- C’était un voyage. Je me souviendrai toujours de ce voyage.
- C’était un voyage dont je me souviendrai toujours.
- That was a trip (that) I will always remember.
SE RAPPELER DE – TO REMEMBER
- C’est un vieux film. Je me rappelle de ce vieux film.
- C’est un vieux film dont je me rappelle.
- It’s an old film (that) I remember.
PARLER DE – TO TALK ABOUT
- C’est un moment difficile. Je ne parle jamais de ce moment difficile.
- C’est un moment difficile dont je ne parle jamais.
- It’s a difficult time (that) I never talk about.
S’OCCUPER DE – TO TAKE CARE OF
- C’est un petit garçon. Je m’occupe de ce petit garçon.
- C’est un petit garçon dont je m’occupe.
- That’s a little boy (that) I take care of.
AVOIR L’HABITUDE DE – TO BE USED TO
- C’est un vieil ordi. Je n’ai plus l’habitude de cet ordi.
- C’est un ordi dont je n’ai plus l’habitude.
- It’s a computer (that) I’m not used to anymore.
SE MÉFIER DE – TO BEWARE OF – TO DISTRUST
- C’est une personne malhonnête. Il faut se méfier de cette personne.
- C’est une personne dont il faut se méfier.
- This is a person to beware of.
SE MOQUER DE – TO MAKE FUN OF
- C’est un homme politique. Tout le monde se moque de cet homme politique.
- C’est un homme politique dont tout le monde se moque.
- He’s a politician that everyone makes fun of.
SE RENDRE COMPTE DE – TO BECOME AWARE OF
- C’est une erreur. Je me suis rendu(e) compte de cette erreur.
- C’est une erreur dont je me suis rendu(e) compte.
- It’s a mistake that I became aware of.
SE SERVIR DE – TO USE
- C’est un couteau. Je me sers de ce couteau tous les jours.
- C’est un couteau dont je me sers tous les jours.
- This is a knife (that) I use every day.
What’s included in this French relative pronoun DONT lesson?
👉 STEP 1: Print out your 6 page lesson guide on the relative pronoun DONT. Have it handy for taking notes and for writing your own examples during the video lesson.
👉 STEP 2: Watch the 24 minute video lesson to learn how to use this pronoun. After carefully watching the lesson you can move on the the resources in the following sections.
👉 STEP 3: 6 sudoku puzzles to help you become familiar with 20 French expressions that are commonly used along with DONT.
👉 STEP 4: Written exercise (1 – 25). Link relative and main clauses with DONT. Answer key is included.
👉 STEP 5: Practice speaking cards (1 – 25). Use these cards to practice oral production when using the pronoun DONT. The sentences are not the same ones you saw in the written exercise.
Included:
- 25 numbered practice cards – 4 per page for printing and cutting out
- 25 numbered practice cards (the same ones) – 1 per page for online use
- Numbered answer key
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