auquel

Auquel is a masculine singular form of the French relative pronoun léquel, used after the preposition à to introduce a relative clause and to refer to an antecedent governed by this preposition. It roughly corresponds to "to which" or "to whom" in English, depending on the antecedent. The form is a contraction of à + lequel, and it belongs to the larger léquel family, which includes other gendered and plural variants such as à laquelle, auxquels, and auxquelles. Related prepositional forms with other prepositions include duquel (de + lequel) and its feminine/plural equivalents.

Forms for gender and number

- masculin singulier: auquel

- feminin singulier: à laquelle

- masculin pluriel: auxquels

- feminin pluriel: auxquelles

There are also corresponding forms with other prepositions, for example duquel, de laquelle, desquels, desquelles, and so on, depending on the governing preposition in the relative clause.

Usage and style

Auquel is used when the antecedent of the relative clause is associated with the preposition à. It is common in written French and in formal speech, especially when the antecedent is a thing, concept, or institution. For persons, à qui is typically preferred in ordinary conversation, while à lequel can appear in more formal or literary contexts.

Examples

- Le livre auquel je pense est épuisé. (The book to which I’m thinking is out of print.)

- La ville à laquelle il fait référence est située au nord. (The city to which he refers is located in the north.)

- Les idées auxquelles nous pensons nécessitent une étude approfondie. (The ideas to which we are thinking require thorough study.)

- Le professeur à laquelle le comité s’est adressé répondra bientôt. (Note: feminine form applicable when the antecedent is a feminine noun.)

Auquel thus serves as a key member of the French relative-pronoun system, enabling precise linkage of clauses through the preposition à.