Question 1

Why do we use dont here instead of another relative pronoun?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, dont introduces a subset of a group we just mentioned (quatre projets). Whenever you want to say "of which," "among which," or "including" to specify a portion of a larger quantity, dont is the correct pronoun.

Question 2

Why isn't there a verb at the end of the sentence? Shouldn't it be dont deux sont finalistes?

Accepted Answer

You can absolutely say dont deux sont finalistes, but French frequently drops the verb sont (are) in this specific structure. This verbless phrasing acts much like the English word "including" (literally "of which two finalists"), making the sentence punchier and very natural.

Question 3

I sometimes confuse dont and desquels. Could we use desquels here to mean "of which"?

Accepted Answer

No, desquels wouldn't work here. Even though both can translate to "of which", dont is the standard choice for indicating a subset or inclusion. You generally only use desquels (or desquelles) when the "of" comes from a compound preposition, like à côté de (next to) or près de (near).

Question 4

Is finaliste a noun or an adjective in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

It is acting as a noun here (deux finalistes = "two finalists"). However, finaliste can also be an adjective in French. Because its base singular form already ends in an -e, it looks exactly the same whether it is modifying a masculine or feminine word; you just add an -s for the plural.

Nous avons quatre projets pour la bibliothèque, dont deux finalistes.

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