A relative clause can be introduced with a prepositional phrase + relative pronoun in English, as follows:
The tree close to which you are sitting is an oak tree.
The tree (which) you are sitting close to is an oak tree.
How to use "duquel / de laquelle" with prepositionals phrases with de in French
Now let's look at such cases in French:
L'arbre près duquel tu es assis est un chêne.The tree close to which you are sitting is an oak tree.
Voici les amis au sujet desquels nous sommes inquiets.Here are the friends about whom we are worried.
Here are the friends we are worried about.
Here are the friends we are worried about.
In French, when introducing a relative clause with a prepositional phrase including de*, you use the relative pronoun duquel, de laquelle, desquels or desquelles to refer to both living beings and inanimate objects.
Note that these pronouns agree in gender and number with the object they refer to.
ATTENTION:
Unlike in English, you can never place the prepositional phrase+duquel at the end of the clause in French, nor can you separate the phrase from duquel or de laquelle.
The tree (which) you are sitting close to is an oak tree
-> You cannot say any of these:
L'arbre tu es assis près duquel est un chêne.
L'arbre duquel tu es assis près est un chêne.
The tree (which) you are sitting close to is an oak tree
-> You cannot say any of these:
L'arbre tu es assis près duquel est un chêne.
L'arbre duquel tu es assis près est un chêne.
Can we use de qui / dont here?
De qui is also an option, though much less elegant, and only to refer to a single person:
Dont or de quoi are completely incorrect in this context:
L'arbre près dont tu es assis...
L'arbre près de quoi tu es assis...
L'arbre près de quoi tu es assis...
Exceptions
To express the way [which], you will use la manière dont / la façon dont:
*Here's a non-exhaustive list of prepositional phrases ending with de:
à la fin de - at the end of
au début de - at the beginning of
au milieu de - in the middle of
avec l'aide de - with the help of
à cause de - due to
au sujet de - about
au-dessus de - above
à partir de - from
À côté de, en face de, à l'extérieur de, à l'intérieur de, près de, loin de, au coin de (French Prepositions)
etc
au début de - at the beginning of
au milieu de - in the middle of
avec l'aide de - with the help of
à cause de - due to
au sujet de - about
au-dessus de - above
à partir de - from
À côté de, en face de, à l'extérieur de, à l'intérieur de, près de, loin de, au coin de (French Prepositions)
etc
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 Dont = Including/[quantity] of which (French Relative Pronouns)
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Examples and resources
Thanks to Léa and Julie, without whose help nothing would have been possible.
Here are the friends we are worried about.
The boy you're sitting next to has beautiful eyes.
