Quel versus Lequel

Quel means « which » in French and is spelled four different ways:

a) quel------masculine singular

b) quelle----feminine singular

c) quels-----masculine plural

d) quelles---feminine plural

You choose the appropriate form that goes with the gender and number of the noun you are describing.

Céline: Excusez-moi, Madame. Je voudrais acheter une montre.

La Vendeuse: D’accord. Quelle montre voulez-vous?

Céline : Je voudrais cette montre bleue.

Montre is feminine and singular, so quelle would be used.

Lequel means “which one” in French and is spelled four different ways:

a) lequel------masculine singular

b) laquelle----feminine singular

c) lesquels-----masculine plural

d) lesquelles---feminine plural

Note: Notice how both the ending and the beginning of the word changes depending on the gender and number of the noun.

There are several ways to use lequel :

1) All forms of lequel replace all forms of quel + noun.

Quelle montre voulez-vous? …… Laquelle veux-tu? Which watch do you want?....Which one do you want?

2) All forms of lequel can also replace a noun being described.

Je veux le cahier là-bas…. Lequel ? I want the notebook over there. …. Which one?

Je pense à mon frère. Auquel penses-tu ? [À quel frère...] I'm thinking about my brother. > Which one are you thinking about?

2) Lequel replaces an inanimate object of a preposition. (If the object of the