Elle déplace la commode sur laquelle sont le vase et le cadre.

Questions & Answers about Elle déplace la commode sur laquelle sont le vase et le cadre.

Why do we use laquelle here instead of lequel?
The word laquelle means "which" and must agree in gender and number with the noun it refers back to. Here, it replaces la commode (the dresser), which is feminine singular. If she were moving a masculine object like le bureau (the desk), you would use sur lequel.
Can I just say sur que instead of sur laquelle?
No, you cannot use que after a preposition like sur (on), avec (with), or pour (for) when referring to things. To say "on which", you must combine the preposition with the correct form of lequel.
Why is the verb sont placed before its subjects le vase et le cadre?
After a relative pronoun phrase like sur laquelle, French speakers often put the verb before the subject. This is especially true when the subject is a long phrase like le vase et le cadre. You could technically say sur laquelle le vase et le cadre sont, but putting the verb first sounds much more natural and elegant in French.
Why use déplace here instead of another verb for "move"?
The verb déplacer is used specifically when shifting an object from one place to another. If you were talking about a person moving to a new house, you would use déménager, and if you meant simply making a physical movement, you would use bouger.

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