"What" with "De" Verbs: Ce dont
Use ce dont to mean "what" (the thing that) when the verb or expression in your clause requires the preposition de.
Many common expressions describing feelings or needs use de (such as souffrir de, se méfier de, or avoir besoin de).
| Do you know what she suffers from? | Tu sais ce dont elle souffre ? |
| That is what I am wary of. | C'est ce dont je me méfie. |
You will also see ce dont connect two parts of a sentence when the second verb requires de.
| We really need what you are talking about. | Nous avons vraiment besoin de ce dont tu parles. |
Emphasizing with "Ce dont"
You can place ce dont at the beginning of a sentence to highlight a specific point. When you do this, the second half of the sentence usually introduces the specific thing you are talking about with c'est (it is).
| What the mind suffers from is sadness. | Ce dont l'esprit souffre, c'est la tristesse. |
If the specific thing being introduced also relies on an expression with de (such as être conscient de, to be aware of), you will often see c'est de.
| What I am aware of is his anxiety. | Ce dont je suis conscient, c'est de son angoisse. |
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