Relative pronouns: ce qui, ce que and dont in French

Read more about how to use Relative pronouns: ce qui, ce que and dont in French.
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Relative pronouns: ce qui, ce que and dont

The French relative pronouns ce qui, ce que and ce dont can mean 'what' or 'which' depending on the context. These pronouns replace la chose qui, la chose que, or la chose dont.

Elle ne comprend pas ce qui se passe  (Elle ne comprend pas la chose qui se passe). She doesn't understand what is happening. 
Tu ne sais pas ce que tu perds (Tu ne sais pas la chose que tu perds). You don't know what you're losing.
Elle Ă©coute ce dont je parle  (Elle Ă©coute la chose dont je parle). She's listening to what I'm saying.

Ce qui (what) is the subject of the verb which follows it.
Ce qui est certain, c'est qu'on va bien s'amuser ! (ce qui sujet de est certain) What is certain is that we're going to have a good time!
Tu sais ce qui me ferait plaisir ? (ce qui sujet de ferait plaisir) Do you know what I'd like?
Ce que or ce qu’ (what) is used as a direct object. It is generally followed by a subject and a verb.
Ce qu'il demande, c'est du respect ! (ce qu' = complĂ©ment direct de il demande) What he's asking for is some respect!
Tu peux dire ce que tu veux, je ne t'écoute pas. (ce que = complément direct de tu veux) You can say what you want, I'm not listening to you.
Ce dont (what, which) is used as the object of the preposition de.

Ce dont Victor a peur, ce sont les araignées. (Victor a peur des araignées, on dit avoir peur de quelque chose). What Victor is afraid of, is spiders.
Elle m'a confirmĂ© ce dont je me doutais : GĂ©rard Therrien a une maĂźtresse ! (se douter de) She confirmed what I suspected: the boss has a mistress.

Note : If we want to stress a point, we can use the construction ce qui / que / dont + c'est or ce sont :

Ton sourire me plaüt. → Ce qui me plaüt, c’est ton sourire. I like your smile.→ What I like is your smile.
A Paris, j'aime les musĂ©es. → À Paris, ce que j’aime, ce sont les musĂ©es. In Paris, I like the museums. → In Paris, what I like is the museums.
J'ai besoin d'un cafĂ© fort.→ Ce dont j’ai besoin c’est un cafĂ© fort. I need a strong coffee. → What I need is a strong coffee.

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