Which or where for "flat" ?

Question

Hi guys , i have this question :why we use "which" for flat and we don't use "where" for it ?for example : i like this flat which i bought last year . and we why we don't use : i like this flat where i bought last year .isn't flat a place so we can use where ?Thanks .

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

alirezaaaaIsn't flat a place so we can use where?

It has to do with the use of 'flat' in the sentence.

You can live in a flat, and 'in a flat' expresses the idea of a place, so you can say This is the flat where I live.

But in your sentence you don't buy in a flat, which shows the place where you bought something, so you can't say This is the flat where I bought.

You bought the flat, not at the location of the flat. You bought the object flat — the floor, the ceiling, the walls, the rooms of the flat. So you say This is the flat that I bought OR This is the flat which I bought OR This is the flat I bought.

This is the supermarket which I bought. You bought the supermarket. You are going into business selling groceries.
This is the supermarket where I bought this bread. You bought the bread at the supermarket.

The place in question has to be in an adverb phrase in the relative clause if you want to use where.

Leonardo painted the house. (Here 'the house' says what Leonardo painted.)
> This is the house that Leonardo painted.

Leonardo painted Lisa in this house. (Here 'in this house' says where Leonardo painted Lisa.)
> This is the house where Leonardo painted Lisa.

CJ

Which or where for "flat" ?

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