Invergordon Academy
Languages Department
Grammar Pages

What/which + noun

In French, the word for what or which must agree with the number and gender of the noun to which it refers, i.e. the
spelling will change as the noun varies between masculine and feminine, singular and plural.

e.g.         Quel livre veux-tu acheter?         Quel – masculine/singular noun

               Quelle voiture préfères-tu?         Quelle – feminine/singular noun

               Quels stylos vas-tu prendre?      Quels – masculine/plural noun

               Quelles lunettes voudrais-tu?     Quelles – feminine/plural noun


What/which ones?

Once again, the expression must agree with the number and gender of the noun to which it refers.

e.g.     Voici deux livres – lequel prends-tu?                     Lequel – masc/sing noun

           Voilà deux tables – laquelle préfères-tu?              Laquelle – fem/sing noun

           Voici quelques bonbons – lesquels prends-tu?    Lesquels – masc/pl noun

           Voilà des cassettes – lesquelles préfères-tu?      Lesquelles – fem/pl noun

These terms are also useful in expressions such as:

C’est la voiture dans laquelle je suis allé en France
That’s the car in which I went to France (referring to fem/sing noun)

C’est le coussin sous lequel j’ai caché mon cahier
That’s the cushion under which I hid my jotter (referring to masc/sing noun)