Learn French: Les chercheurs demandent ce qui transforme les cellules. - The researchers ask what transforms the cells.

Les chercheurs demandent ce qui transforme les cellules.

The researchers ask what transforms the cells.

Breakdown of Les chercheurs demandent ce qui transforme les cellules.

le chercheur

the researcher

demander

to ask (for) / to require / demand

Questions & Answers about Les chercheurs demandent ce qui transforme les cellules.

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

In indirect questions, "what" translates to ce qui when it is the subject of the action (the thing doing the verb) and ce que when it is the object (the thing receiving the verb). Here, "what" is the thing doing the transforming, so it is the subject, making ce qui the correct choice.

Why is the verb transforme singular if there are multiple cells and multiple researchers?

The verb transforme belongs to the second part of the sentence, and its subject is ce qui (what). In French, ce qui is always treated as a third-person singular subject, just like il or elle, so it takes the singular ending -e.

Does demandent mean they are demanding something forcefully?

No, demander is a classic false friend! It simply means "to ask" or "to request". If the researchers were actually demanding something forcefully, you would use a stronger verb like exiger.

Since the -ent ending on demandent is silent, how can you tell this is plural when listening?