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French Demonstrative Pronouns

celui, celle, ceux, celles

Explaining French Demonstrative Pronouns

A French demonstrative pronoun replaces a demonstrative adjective (ce, cette, etc.) + noun.
Here are a couple of examples to illustrate this point:
Dialogue 1

Dialogue 2

Dialogue 3

- Je voudrais acheter ce pantalon, sil vous plat.

- Une de mes filles est malade.

- Jai mang les bonbons.

- Lequel? Le noir ou le gris?

- Celle qui a quatre ans?

- Lesquels? Ceux qui taient dans mon sac?

- Non, celle qui a huit ans.

- Non, ceux qui appartenaient Marc.

(One of my daughters is sick. / The 4 year-old one? / No,

(Ive eaten the candies. / Which ones? The ones in my

the 8 year-old one)

bag? / No, the ones that belonged to Mark)

- Non, le marron, celui qui est votre gauche.

(I would like to buy these pants, please. / Which ones?
The black ones or the grey ones? / No, the brown ones,
those to your left)

Masculine

Feminine

Singular

celui

celle

Plural

ceux

celles

Type 1: Simple Demonstrative Pronouns

French demonstrative pronouns can be classified as simple: celui, celle, ceux, celles
In which conditions do simple demonstrative pronouns appear?
1) Use celui, celle, ceux, celles when they are followed by a relative pronoun (qui, que,
dont, etc.) - Tu veux faire quel exercise? Oh, celui qui est le plus difficile. (Which
activity do you want to do? Oh, the most difficult one.)
Use celui, celle, ceux, celles when they are followed by the preposition de + noun.
- - On prend la voiture de Chris ou de Michel? Prenons celle de Chris! (Do we take
Chriss car or Michels? Lets take Chriss.)

Type 2: Compound Demonstrative Pronouns

Besides the simple demonstrative pronouns, there are also those called compound demonstrative
pronouns. Typically, they are followed by the particles ci and l
1) Use celui-ci, celle-ci, ceux-ci, celles-ci versus celui-l, celle-l, ceux-l, celles-l when you
want to convey the idea of choice or comparison (as in this one vs. that one) --- Je prfre celui-ci,
pas celui-l. (I prefer this one, not that one)
1) Use celui-ci, celle-ci, ceux-ci, celles-ci versus celui-l, celle-l, ceux-l, celles-l when you
want to convey the idea of proximity versus distance (as in this one (right here) vs. that one over
there) Tu voudrais quel sige? Celui-ci ou celui-l, au fond de la salle? (Which seat would you
like? This one, or that one, in the back of the room?
Warning: 1) Note that in spoken French, -l is almost always used, even to indicate something
nearby. 2) Never place a relative pronoun (qui, que, dont, etc.) after a demonstrative pronoun. So you
cant say for example: Je voudrais celui-l qui est devant vous. Instead, say, Je voudrais celui
qui est devant vous.

Ce & a: Neutral Demonstrative Pronouns

Among the French demonstrative pronouns, you must also include the neutral forms ce (or c) and a.
Because these are neutral pronouns, the considerations of gender and number do not matter. You can find
ce/c and a in sentences such as:
Cest intressant, ce roman. This book is interesting.
Je connais les Dupond. Ce sont des gens bien. I know the Duponds; they are good people.
Tu aimes le croissant aux raisins? Oui, jaime a beaucoup. You like raisin croissants? Yes I like this
very much.
Tu veux a? You want this?
Warning: All adjectives directly following the construction Cest must ALWAYS be in the masculine
singular form. Cest dprimant (m.s.), cette musique (f.)! Its depressing, this music! Although the word
musique is feminine, the pronoun adjective dprimant that characterizes it is in the masculine form.

How to Use Ce / (Case #1)

Jai visit Paris. Cest une ville superbe. I visited Paris. Its a beautiful city.
The neutral demonstrative pronoun ce/c (just like any other pronoun), replaces one or more things.
One notable feature of ce/c is that it is always followed by the verb tre (+ noun or adjective or
infinitive, or object or an adverb/adverbial phrase.
(Cest + noun): Cest un vlo! Its a bike!
(Cest + adjective): Cest magnifique! Its magnificent!
(Cest + infinitive): Voler, cest prendre ce qui ne vous appartient pas. Stealing is taking what doesnt
belong to you.
(Cest + adverb): Cest l que je vais. Im going there.
(Cest + adverbial phrase of time): Cest ce matin que je vais passer lexamen! I will take the exam
this morning.
(Cest + mise en relief): Cest Marcel qui arrive. Its Marcel who is arriving.

How to Use Ce / (Case #2)

La paix, cest ce quil faut dans ce monde. Peace is what we need in this world.

Another notable feature of the neutral demonstrative pronoun is that it can be used with relative pronouns
ce que, ce qui, ce dont.
Note that in this case this pronoun can mean anything like the thing, the event, or whatever noun you wish
to replace here. Check this example:
Ce que jai vu tait poustouflant! What I saw breathtaking. (In this sentence, perhaps, what I
am referring to is a show I attended, an accident, a portrait, etc.).
Ce qui me plat, cest sa faon de danser. What I like is the way he dances. (In this sentence,
the sa facon de danser is represented by the relative pronoun ce qui.
Je vois ce dont vous parlez. I see what you are talking about

Neutral Pronoun a: Introductory Notes

a as neutral pronoun is very common in spoken French language. It usually means that in English as in
you like that?
a is considered more casual/colloquial (contracted form) of Cela.

As you will see very shortly, a can replace almost everything in French.

Using a To Replace Nouns

a can represent a noun (usually an inanimate one)

Le chocolat, jadore a!
Je nai jamais dit a! (=ces mots) Ive never uttered these words
a is considered more casual/colloquial (contracted form) of Cela.
When a replaces people, it can often take a pejorative sense:
(1) Les lves, a bavarde et a bavarde! Students wont stop chatting!
(2) Les jeunes, a ne fait jamais rien de bon. Young people never do anything worthwhile.

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Using a To Replace Entire Clauses

a can replace more than a noun. They can also complete clauses.
Le prof est en colre, a minquite un peu. The teacher is upset, Im a bit concerned
Jen ai marre!, a veut dire que jen ai assez Jen ai marre! means Ive had enough.
Les chambres qui sont mal ranges, je trouve a dgueu! Untidy rooms, I find them disgusting.

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Using a In Idiomatic Expressions

a can be found in many phrases and expressions, many of which are idioms.
- Comment a va? How are you? / Bof, comme-ci comme-a. Meh, so so.
Alors, a y est? Are we done yet? / Finished? / Done?
a mest gal, tu fais ce que tu veux. I dont care, do what you want.
On va manger au resto ce soir? a te dit ? We eat out tonight? Interested?

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Using a To Replace Infinitives

a can be used to replace an infinitive.

Dormir, a ne mintresse pas pour le moment. Im not into sleeping for now.
a te plat, mditer? Do you like meditating?

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NextFrench Possessive Pronouns

In the next section of this chapter, you will learn about the French possessive
pronouns (le mien, le tien, le sien, etc.). This is a nice transition, if youve already
studied the adjective pronouns (mon, ma mes, etc.).
You will learn how to use the French possessive pronouns in a sentence. You will
also learn about all their forms and the agreement rules they follow.