duquel

Duquel is a French relative pronoun formed from de lequel that introduces a relative clause and refers to a noun governed by the preposition de. It agrees in gender and number with its antecedent and functions as the object of the preposition within the relative clause. In modern usage, dont often substitutes for de + lequel, but duquel remains common in more formal or literary contexts, especially when the antecedent requires a clear de-relationship or when a more explicit prepositional reference is preferred.

Forms and agreement

- masculine singular: duquel

- feminine singular: de laquelle

- masculine plural: desquels

- feminine plural: desquelles

When the antecedent uses a different preposition, or when a different prepositional relation is needed, the corresponding forms of lequel are used instead of duquel (for example: auquel, à laquelle, auxquels, auxquelles; au lieu de duquel, de laquelle, etc.). Don’t is often preferred for de-relations in everyday speech, while duquel is favored in formal writing or to avoid ambiguity.

Usage notes

- The duquel form is most natural after a de-phrase referring to a definite antecedent in formal contexts: Le sujet duquel nous parlons est complexe.

- In everyday French, dont is the standard choice for replacing de + lequel in subordinate clauses: Le sujet dont nous parlons est complexe.

- The desquel(s)/desquelle(s) forms cover plural antecedents after de: Les livres desquels j’ai entendu parler.

Overview

Duquel belongs to a broader system of prepositional relative pronouns based on le/la/les plus une préposition, with dont and the forms with à, de, sur, etc. being used to indicate specific relationships between the antecedent and the relative clause.