Unit 45: Demonstrative pronouns

1 Definitions

Demonstratives pronouns are pronouns used to point out a particular thing or things:

Voici deux voitures de sport: celle-ci est italienne et celle-là est allemande  

Here are two sports cars: this one is Italian and that one is German

2 Forms

2.1 Basic forms

 

  See three more examples

 

Other demonstrative pronouns are: ceci, cela, ce and il.

 

2.2 Use of celui and derivatives

These are used before describing structures beginning with:

 

•  a relative pronoun :

Quel étudiant? Celui qui arrive toujours en retard  

Which student? The one who always arrives late

 

•   the preposition de:

Ce n'est pas mon livre, c'est celui de Pierre  

It's not my book, it's Peter's

 

2.3 Celui-ci / celui-là and derivatives

The words -ci and -là are added to celui, celle, ceux and celles where there is no describing structure. They are often used to express a distinction:

Il y a plusieurs modèles disponibles, mais celui-ci est le plus populaire  

There are several models available, but this one is the most popular

Voici deux livres. Celui-ci est bon marché, celui-là est plus cher  

Here are two books. This one is cheap, that one is more expensive

  See three more examples

 

Celui-ci, celle-ci etc. can also mean the latter, and celui-là, celle-là etc. the former.

Le professeur a regardé le garçon fixement; celui-ci est resté figé sur place  

The teacher stared at the boy; the latter stood frozen to the spot

 

2.4 Tous ceux / toutes celles

Tous ceux / toutes celles refer to specific people and things, and have the sense of everyone, all those etc.:

Toutes celles qui sont intéressées sont bienvenues à la soirée  

All those who are interested are welcome to attend the evening

  See three more examples

Tout ce refers to things, ideas etc., and has the sense of everything or all:

Tout ce qui se trouvait dans la maison a été confisqué  

Everything that was found in the house was confiscated

  See three more examples

2.5 Cela / ça

Cela or ça is used when referring to a statement or idea rather than to a specific noun , or to something, either an object or an idea, which has not yet been mentioned:

Cela est le plus grand danger  

That's the biggest danger

Ça n'a pas de sens d'arriver deux jours à l'avance  

It doesn't make sense to arrive two days early

 

» to top of page