French Phrase
C'est souvent mon partenaire qui prépare le dîner.
Meaning
This phrase emphasizes that it is specifically 'my partner' who performs the action of preparing dinner, rather than someone else. The 'C'est... qui' construction is a common way in French to highlight a particular part of a sentence, often the subject. It translates to 'It is... who/that'.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to highlight or emphasize the person (or thing) responsible for an action, especially when contrasting with other possibilities or simply stating a fact with emphasis. It's perfect for discussing household responsibilities, daily routines, or when someone asks 'Who prepares dinner at your place?'.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estsouventmon partenairequipréparele dîner
C'est... qui
This is an emphatic construction used to highlight the subject of a sentence. 'C'est' (It is) introduces the emphasized element, followed by 'qui' (who/that) which acts as a relative pronoun for the subject.
Souvent
Meaning 'often', this is an adverb of frequency. In compound tenses, it typically goes between the auxiliary verb and the past participle. In simple tenses, it usually follows the conjugated verb.
Mon partenaire
'Mon' is a possessive adjective (my) and 'partenaire' means partner. In French, 'partenaire' is gender-neutral and can refer to a male or female partner.
Qui
Here, 'qui' acts as a relative pronoun referring back to 'mon partenaire'. Since 'mon partenaire' is the subject of 'prépare', 'qui' is used. If it were the object, 'que' would be used.
Prépare
This is the third-person singular conjugation of the verb 'préparer' (to prepare) in the present tense. It agrees with 'qui', which refers to 'mon partenaire'.
🗨In Conversation
Qui fait la cuisine chez toi d'habitude?
Who usually cooks at your place?
C'est souvent mon partenaire qui prépare le dîner.
It's often my partner who prepares dinner.
✕Common Mistakes
Mon partenaire souvent prépare le dîner.
Adverbs of frequency like 'souvent' usually come after the first conjugated verb in French, not before it like in English.
C'est souvent mon partenaire que prépare le dîner.
Use 'qui' when the emphasized element is the subject of the following verb. 'Que' is used when the emphasized element is the direct object.
↔Alternatives
Mon partenaire prépare souvent le dîner.
My partner often prepares dinner.
Le dîner est souvent préparé par mon partenaire.
Dinner is often prepared by my partner.
Cultural Tip
In French culture, discussing household roles and responsibilities is common. While traditional gender roles have evolved, phrases like this allow for clear and natural expression of who does what. The 'C'est... qui' construction is very common in everyday conversation and mastering it will make your French sound much more natural and fluent.