Usage note : that

As a determiner

In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede ; that is translated by ce + masculine singular noun (ce monsieur), cet + masculine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute ‘h’ (cet homme) and cette + feminine singular noun (cette femme) ; those is translated by ces.

Note, however, that the above translations are also used for the English this (plural these). So when it is necessary to insist on that as opposed to another or others of the same sort, the adverbial tag -là is added to the noun :

I prefer THAT version

= je préfère cette version-là

For particular usages, see the entry that.

As a pronoun meaning that one, those ones

In French, pronouns reflect the gender and number of the noun they are referring to. So that is translated by celui-là for a masculine noun, celle-là for a feminine noun and those is translated by ceux-là for a masculine noun and celles-là for a feminine noun :

I think I like that one (dress) best

= je crois que je préfère celle-là

For other uses of that, those as pronouns (e.g. who’s that?) and for adverbial use (e.g. that much, that many) there is no straightforward translation, so see the entry that for examples of usage.

When used as a relative pronoun, that is translated by qui when it is the subject of the verb and by que when it is the object :

the man that stole the car

= l’homme qui a volé la voiture

the film that I saw

= le film que j’ai vu

Remember that in the present perfect and past perfect tenses, the past participle will agree

with the noun to which que as object refers :

the apples that I bought

= les pommes que j’ai achetées

When that is used as a relative pronoun with a preposition, it is translated by lequel when standing for a masculine singular noun, by laquelle when standing for a feminine singular noun, by lesquels when standing for a masculine plural noun and by lesquelles when standing for a feminine plural noun :

the chair that I was sitting on

= la chaise sur laquelle j’étais assise

the children that I bought the books for

= les enfants pour lesquels j’ai acheté les livres

Remember that in cases where the English preposition used would normally be translated by à in French (e.g. to, at), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be auquel, à laquelle, auxquels, auxquelles :

the girls that I was talking to

= les filles auxquelles je parlais

Similarly, where the English preposition used would normally be translated by de in French (e.g. of, from), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be dont in all cases :

the Frenchman that I received a letter from

= le Français dont j’ai reçu une lettre

When used as a conjunction, that can almost always be translated by que (qu’ before a vowel or mute ‘h’) :

she said that she would do it

= elle a dit qu’elle le ferait

In certain verbal constructions, que is followed by a subjunctive in French. If you are in doubt about the construction to use, consult the appropriate verb entry. For particular usages see the entry that.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.