Which one is correct: 'Que vous dites là est excessif' or 'Vous dites là est excessif' or 'Ce que vous dites là est excessif?'

Joan C.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Which one is correct: 'Que vous dites là est excessif' or 'Vous dites là est excessif' or 'Ce que vous dites là est excessif?'

Asked 5 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Joan,

The only correct one is -

'Ce que vous dîtes là est excessif!'

Joan C.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you Cécile. I wonder why it is not 'Ce qui' instead? (Ce qui vous dîtes là est excessif) as the fact that 'vous dîtes là' is a subject, and subject should use ce qui?

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The subject of the sentence is vous and the object is ce que. You can only use ce que if it is the object of the sentence; if it happens to be the subject, you use ce qui.

Furthermore, ce que/ce qui is used for inanimate objects and que/qui for persons.

Maybe an example is in order:

Ce qui se passe est intéressant. -- What happens is interesting. (Here ce qui is the subject.)
Ce que tu dises est intéressant. -- What you say is interesting. ("You" is the subject and ce que the object)

Joan C. asked:

Which one is correct: 'Que vous dites là est excessif' or 'Vous dites là est excessif' or 'Ce que vous dites là est excessif?'

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