dont

 Absolutely! Let's dive into "dont" — one of the most common and important French relative pronouns — with clear meaning, rules, and examples, all explained in simple terms.

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💬 What is “dont” in French?

🔸 "dont" = "whose" / "of which" / "of whom" in English.

It is a relative pronoun that:

• connects two clauses (ideas),

• replaces “de + something” in the second part,

• and avoids repeating the noun.

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🧠 Basic Rule:

Use "dont" when the verb or expression normally uses "de".

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🔍 Examples in English & French

English	French	Explanation
The book I’m talking about	Le livre dont je parle	parler de quelque chose = to talk about
A person I’m proud of	Une personne dont je suis fier	être fier de quelqu’un
The idea he is afraid of	L’idée dont il a peur	avoir peur de quelque chose
A photo I remember	Une photo dont je me souviens	se souvenir de quelque chose
A friend whose car is red	Un ami dont la voiture est rouge	possessive → "whose"

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🧱 Sentence breakdown (from your original example):

C’est quelque chose qu’il a vécu et/ou observé et dont il a gardé une image mentale.

Let’s break it down:

• Quelque chose = something

• He lived or observed it → qu’il a vécu et observé

• He kept a mental image of it → il a gardé une image mentale de quelque chose

So instead of repeating "de quelque chose", we use:

👉 "dont" = "of which"

✅ Final:
"It’s something he experienced or observed, and of which he kept a mental image."

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🧩 How to know if you need "dont"?

Ask yourself:

• Is there a verb (or adjective) that uses “de”?

• Is it followed by a thing or person you already mentioned?

If YES → you use "dont".

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🧪 Want a small practice quiz with "dont"?

Let me know!