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Dont = Including/[quantity] of which (French Relative Pronouns)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-12-15
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In French, the relative pronoun "dont" has more than one possible English translation. It can mean "including [quantity] of which".

How to use "including [quantity] of which" in French

Look at these sentences using the relative pronoun dont:

J'ai acheté deux manteaux, dont un pour l'hiver.I bought two coats, including one for the winter./ one of which is for winter.

Il y a 45 vaches dans cette ferme, dont dix blanches.There are 45 cows on that farm, including ten white ones. / ten of which are white.

Annie aime les romans de Jane Austen, dont Orgueil et Préjugés et Emma.Annie likes Jane Austen's novels, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma.
 

The relative pronoun dont can be used to express including.


How to form X of which + [verb] ?

J'ai trois enfants, dont deux qui sont au collège.I have three children, including two (that) / two of whom are in secondary school.

Marie possède cinq tableaux, dont deux qu'elle a achetés aux puces.Marie owns five paintings, including two (that) / two of which she bought at the flea market.

Le chanteur a interprété trois chansons, dont une qu'il avait écrite spécialement pour l'occasion.The singer sang three songs, including one (that) / one of which he had written especially for the occasion.

J'ai trois cousines, dont une qui habite aux États-Unis.I have three cousins, including one who lives in the US.

If including / [number] of which is followed by a conjugated verb, in French you need to add a relative pronoun (qui or que / qu') in front of the verb.

To know whether to use qui or que, have a look at the following lessons:
Qui = Who/which/that (French Relative Pronouns) 
Que = Whom/which/that (French Relative Pronouns)

See also De qui/dont/duquel = of/about whom, of/about which - with prepositional verbs with "de" (French Relative Pronouns), Dont = Whose (French Relative Pronouns) and Duquel/de laquelle/desquels/desquelles with prepositional phrases with "de" (French Relative Pronouns) 

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Examples and resources

Le chanteur a interprété trois chansons, dont une qu'il avait écrite spécialement pour l'occasion.The singer sang three songs, including one (that) / one of which he had written especially for the occasion.
J'ai acheté deux manteaux, dont un pour l'hiver.I bought two coats, including one for the winter./ one of which is for winter.
Annie aime les romans de Jane Austen, dont Orgueil et Préjugés et Emma.Annie likes Jane Austen's novels, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma.
Pour ce soir, nous avons sélectionné des films d'horreur, dont Les Griffes de la Nuit et Vendredi 13.For tonight, we selected horror movies, including Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday 13th.
J'ai trois cousines, dont une qui habite aux États-Unis.I have three cousins, including one who lives in the US.
Il y a 45 vaches dans cette ferme, dont dix blanches.There are 45 cows on that farm, including ten white ones. / ten of which are white.
J'ai trois enfants, dont deux qui sont au collège.I have three children, including two (that) / two of whom are in secondary school.
Nous avons trois chiens, dont deux labradors.We have three dogs, including two Labradors. / two of which are Labradors.
Marie possède cinq tableaux, dont deux qu'elle a achetés aux puces.Marie owns five paintings, including two (that) / two of which she bought at the flea market.
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