Question 1

Why do we use ce dont here instead of ce que or ce qui?

Accepted Answer

The choice depends on the verb. The verb souffrir requires the preposition de (souffrir de quelque chose means to suffer from something). Whenever the word what implies the thing that, and the verb takes de, you must use ce dont.

Question 2

The English translation ends with from. Where is from in the French sentence?

Accepted Answer

In French, you can never end a sentence or clause with a preposition. The English from (which corresponds to de here) is built directly into the relative pronoun dont. Ce dont effectively means that from which.

Question 3

Why is toujours at the very end instead of before the verb like in English?

Accepted Answer

In French, an adverb can never separate a subject pronoun (elle) and its conjugated verb (souffre). It must come after the verb. Because souffre is the final verb here, toujours naturally sits at the end of the sentence.

Question 4

Could toujours mean still here instead of always?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. The adverb toujours can mean both always and still. Without additional context, this sentence could just as easily mean That is what she still suffers from.

C'est ce dont elle souffre toujours.

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