Lequel


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That, what, which (one)

The French word lequel has several different functions and forms.

As an interrogative pronoun, lequel asks "which one?"

Par exemple…

J’ai besoin d’un mobile, lequel est le moins cher ?		I need a phone, which one is the least expensive?
Il étudie les insectes, mais lesquels ?		He studies insects, but which ones?

Lequel is the relative pronoun required after most prepositions.

Par exemple…

Voici le mobile pour lequel j’ai trop payé.		Here’s the phone I paid too much for.
Il étudie les insectes sur lesquels Jean-Henri Fabre a écrit.		He studies the insects that Jean-Henri Fabre wrote about.

Lequel is also a relative adjective, which creates a link between a preceding antecedent and a following noun.

Il y a 100 mobiles, lesquels mobiles sont placés sous séquestre.		There are 100 phones, which phones have been sequestered.
Il possède un fusil, lequel fusil il a obtenu illégalement.		He owns a rifle, which rifle he obtained illegally.

There are four forms of lequel based on gender and number, plus additional contracted forms created with the prepositions à and de.