Le tapis sur lequel je marche est dans le grenier.

Questions & Answers about Le tapis sur lequel je marche est dans le grenier.

Why do we use lequel here instead of another form like laquelle?
Lequel has to match the gender and number of the noun it refers back to. Here, it refers to le tapis (the carpet). Because un tapis is masculine and singular, we use the masculine singular form lequel. If it were a feminine noun like la chaise (the chair), we would use laquelle.
Why can't I just use que or qui for "which" here?
Qui and que are generally used for subjects and direct objects. When you are referring to a thing (like a carpet) and you need to use a simple preposition like sur (on), avec (with), or pour (for), you must use a form of lequel.
In English, I would probably say "The carpet I am walking on". Can I put sur at the end of the phrase in French?
No, French grammar never allows you to end a sentence or a clause with a preposition! The preposition (sur) must always stay right in front of the relative pronoun (lequel) that it belongs to.
Why is there an "s" at the end of tapis if we are only talking about one carpet?
Le tapis is one of those French words that naturally ends in an -s even in its singular form, similar to un repas (a meal) or un pays (a country). You can tell it is singular in this sentence because it is paired with the singular article le and the singular verb est.

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