qui/ki/
pronoun / conjunction / interjection · A1 · Frequency 62
pronouncommon
Meanings
who, whom; that (referring to a person)
Used as interrogative and relative pronoun referring to people.
he who, whoever
Indicates generality, emphasizing an unspecified person.
Examples
Qui a laissé la fenêtre ouverte ?
Who left the window open?
Je ne sais pas qui appeler pour réparer la chaudière.
I do not know whom to call to repair the boiler.
Qui veut réussir doit travailler régulièrement.
Whoever wants to succeed must work regularly.
Collocations
- la personne qui parlethe person who is speaking
- qui que ce soitwhoever it may be
- ce qui arrivewhat happens
Common mistakes
La personne qui j'ai vue hier est ma voisine.
La personne que j'ai vue hier est ma voisine.
In a relative clause, qui is used as the subject; here, “I saw the person,” so the relative pronoun is the object and must be que.
Related words
synonymquiconqueanyone, whoever, whosoever
Grammar note
The relative pronoun qui functions as a subject and does not agree in gender or number with its antecedent.
conjunction
Meanings
who; which
Relative pronoun introducing a relative clause.
conjunction
Used as a conditional conjunction introducing conditional clauses.
Examples
La femme qui parle est ma professeure de français.
The woman who is speaking is my French teacher.
Voici le livre qui a gagné le prix littéraire.
Here is the book that won the literary prize.
Qui veut venir à la fête, qu'il me le dise avant demain.
Whoever wants to come to the party, let him tell me before tomorrow.
Collocations
- la personne qui travaillethe person who works
- qui que tu soiswhoever you are
Related words
Grammar note
As a relative pronoun, ‘qui’ introduces a relative clause and functions as the subject of the antecedent. As a conjunction, ‘qui’ expresses a condition meaning ‘if’.
interjection
Meanings
Used to indicate the cry of a bird.
Typically used as an onomatopoeia to imitate bird calls.
interjection
Commonly used in spoken language to express surprise, doubt, or to draw attention.
Examples
Dans le jardin, un oiseau a lancé un bref « qui » avant de s envoler.
In the garden, a bird gave a brief « qui » cry before flying away.
Le guide a noté le « qui » répété d un petit oiseau dans son carnet.
The guide noted the repeated « qui » of a small bird in his notebook.
Au lever du jour, le « qui » d un oiseau résonnait près de la fenêtre.
At dawn, a bird's « qui » cry echoed near the window.
Collocations
- le cri qui imite un oiseauthe cry that imitates a bird
- qui ! écoute-moi !Hey! Listen to me!
Related words
synonymcui-cuionomatopoeia for bird calls
synonymohinterjection expressing surprise