Translation of "to who(ever) you like"

[Curt Jugg]

If I wanted to translate into French the clause "to who(ever) you like" (as in, say, "You can can give it to who(ever) you like"), would all of the following possible translations be correct?

1. à quiconque vous voulez
2. à qui vous voulez
3. à qui que ce soit que vous voulez
4. à qui que vous voulez

Thanks in advance.

[Neil Coffey]

Generally, I think people only use quiconque as the subject of the clause it introduces. So whilst the following is OK:

 

  donnez-le à [quiconque le voudra]

 

your example (1) probably doesn't work for most speakers because it forces quiconque to be the object of the clause.

 

(2) would be usual, I think. I dare say you would hear (3), but it's a bit long-winded. On the other hand I think it would be used fairly readily in other cases, e.g. : qui que ce soit que vous ayez vu, ....

 

I think you'll also hear (4), but it's probably not considered "elegant" in formal use.

 

You can also use la personne qui/que..., celui qui/que...: "donnez-le à celui que vous voudrez".

 

[Curt Jugg]

Very helpful reply, Neil. Thanks a lot.