French Demonstrative Pronouns ~ Pronoms démonstratifs
Lesson | Test
Demonstrative pronouns (this one, that one, the
one[s], these, those) refer to a
previously-mentioned noun in a sentence. They must agree with the gender and
number of the noun(s).
| singular | plural | |
| masculine | celui | ceux |
| feminine | celle | celles |
Each of the four demonstrative pronouns can refer to something nearby or far away (e.g., celui can mean this one or that one).
Demonstrative pronouns cannot stand alone; they must be used in one of the following constructions:
| I. | With an attachment: As with demonstrative adjectives, you can distinguish between this one and that one, these and those with the suffixes -ci (here) and -là (there). | |
| Quelle fille l'a fait, celle-ci ou celle-là ? | Which girl did it, this one or that one? | |
| Je ne sais pas si je veux ceux-ci ou ceux-là. | I don't know if I want these or those. | |
| II. | In prepositional phrases, usually introduced by de to indicate possession or origin | |
| Quel film veux-tu voir ? Celui de la France ou celui du Canada ? | Which film do you want to see? The one from France or (the one from) Canada? | |
| Je ne peux pas décider entre ces deux robes. Celle de soie est plus jolie mais aussi plus chère que celle de coton. | I can't decide between these two dresses. The silk one is prettier but also more expensive than the cotton one. | |
| III. | Followed by a relative pronoun + dependent clause | |
| Celui qui a menti sera puni. | He who / Whoever lied will be punished. | |
| Ceux qui sont polis recevront un cadeau. | Those who are polite will receive a gift. | |
| Demonstrative pronoun test |
| Indefinite demonstrative pronouns More pronouns |
| Demonstrative adjectives French Grammar |
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