# French Grammar Question about ce que/ce qi **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018 "2015-03-15T00:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/1 "2015-03-15T00:02:35Z")
Hi, I’m having trouble distinguishing between the subject and object part of a sentence and use of ce qui (functions as the subject of the subordinate clause. ) and ce que (functions as the object of the subordinate clause. ) Perhaps someone can suggest a surefire way to identify them. Right now it’s hit and miss. The following examples don’t make things very clear to me. I’m not sure how to identify the subject and object of the subordinate clauses. I look forward to your feedback davidmich Je me demande ce qui va se passer ensuite. (This is not clear to me. Where is the subject and where is the object) Ditto with the following: Tout ce que Pierre crée est tellement original! Moi, j’aime ce qu’il écrit à propos de la France dans les années 1940. Ce que je n’aime pas, c’est la fin du livre. Le héros meurt. Il n’épouse donc pas, ce que je trouve très dommage. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/2 "2015-03-15T00:14:14Z")
Try stating the subordinate clause as a standalone sentence, and the subject and object will jump out for you: 1. ce que j’aime - that which I like =\> j’aime cela - I like that “that” is the object 1. ce qui me donne plaisir - that which gives me pleasure =\> cela me donne plaisir - that gives me pleasure “that” is the subject. Any clearer now? ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/3 "2015-03-15T00:20:05Z")
From your examples: Je me demande ce qui va se passer ensuite. [quelquechose] va se passer ensuite -\> subject, therefore “ce qui” Tout ce que Pierre crée est tellement original! Pierre crée [qqch] -\> object, therefore “ce que” Moi, j’aime ce qu’il écrit à propos de la France dans les années 1940. il écrit [qqch] à propos de la France dans les années 1940 -\> object Ce que je n’aime pas, c’est la fin du livre. Le héros meurt. Il n’épouse donc pas, ce que je trouve très dommage. Je n’aime pas ça… je trouve ça dommage. -\> object, object ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/4 "2015-03-15T09:05:54Z")
Thank you all. Very helpful. davidmich ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/5 "2015-03-16T09:32:04Z")
Hi hibernicus I was trying to figure out why ce qui is used here but I can’t. Perhaps you can help me one more time. Vous ne pouvez jamais vraiment être sûr de \*ce qui va arriver par la suite. ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-about-ce-que-ce-qi/715018/6 "2015-03-16T09:54:21Z")
Got it now! Since the subject performs the action of the verb, ce qui makes sense… ce qui va arriver…