which

which [wɪt∫]

1. adjective

   a. (in questions) quel

• which card did he take? quelle carte a-t-il prise ? laquelle des cartes a-t-il prise ?

• I don't know which book he wants je ne sais pas quel livre il veut

• which one? lequel (or laquelle) ?

   b. in which case ... auquel cas ...

• he spent a week here, during which time ... il a passé une semaine ici au cours de laquelle ...

2. pronoun

   a. (in questions) lequel m, laquelle f

• which of these maps is the best? quelle est la meilleure de ces cartes ? laquelle de ces cartes est la meilleure ?

• which have you taken? lequel m (or laquelle f) avez-vous pris(e) ?

• which of you (two) is taller? lequel de vous deux est le plus grand ? qui est le plus grand de vous deux ?

• which of you owns the red car? lequel d'entre vous est le propriétaire de la voiture rouge ?

   b. ( = the one or ones that) (subject) celui m (or celle f or ceux mpl or celles fpl) qui ; (object) celui que

• I don't mind which you give me vous pouvez me donner celui que vous voudrez

• I don't mind which n'importe lequel, ça m'est égal

• show me which is the cheapest montrez-moi celui qui est le moins cher

• I can't tell which is which je ne peux pas les distinguer

• I know which I'd rather have je sais bien ce que je choisirais

   c. ( = that) (subject) qui ; (object) que ; (after prep) lequel m (or laquelle f or lesquels mpl or lesquelles fpl)

• the book which is on the table le livre qui est sur la table

• the apple which you ate la pomme que vous avez mangée

• the box which you put it in la boîte dans laquelle vous l'avez mis

• opposite which en face duquel (or de laquelle)

• the book which I told you about le livre dont je vous ai parlé

   d. ( = and that) (subject) ce qui ; (object) ce que ; (after prep) quoi

• he said he knew her, which is true il a dit qu'il la connaissait, ce qui est vrai

• she called me "Bobby", which I don't like elle m'a appelé « Bobby », ce que je n'aime pas

• after which we went to bed après quoi nous sommes allés nous coucher

* * *

[wɪtʃ], US [hwɪtʃ] 1.

pronoun

1) (also which one) lequel m, laquelle f

which do you want, the red skirt or the blue one? — laquelle est-ce que tu veux, la jupe rouge ou la bleue?

which of the groups...? — (referring to one) lequel des groupes...?; (referring to several) lesquels des groupes...?

show her which you mean — montre-lui celui/celle etc que tu veux dire

do you mind which you have? — est-ce que tu as une préférence?

I don't mind which — ça m'est égal

can you tell which is which? — peux-tu les distinguer?

2) (relative to preceding noun) (as subject) qui; (as object) que; (after prepositions) lequel/laquelle/lesquels/lesquelles

the contract which he's spoken about ou about which he's spoken — le contrat dont il a parlé

3) (relative to preceding clause or concept) (as subject) ce qui; (as object) ce que

which reminds me... — ce qui me fait penser que...

we'll be moving, before which we need to... — nous allons déménager mais avant il faut que nous...

he's resigned, from which we must assume that — il a démissionné, d'où on peut déduire que

2.

determiner

1) (interrogative) quel/quelle/quels/quelles (before n)

which books? — quels livres?

which one of the children? — lequel or laquelle des enfants?

2) (relative)

he left the room, during which time... — il a quitté la pièce et pendant ce temps-là...

you may wish to join, in which case... — vous voulez peut-être vous inscrire, auquel cas...

English-French dictionary. 2013.