6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns —Tu as vu comme il nous fait son cinéma, celui-là?
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns The demonstrative pronoun celui and its forms mean this one/that one/the one or these/those/the ones. Use them for pointing something out or indicating a preference. Quel gâteau préférez-vous? Le gâteau au chocolat ou le gâteau aux cerises? Which cake do you prefer? The chocolate cake or the cherry cake? Quel gâteau préférez-vous? Celui au chocolat ou celui aux cerises? Which cake do you prefer? The chocolate one or the cherry one?
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns agree in number and gender with the noun to which they refer. Demonstrative pronouns singularplural masculine feminine celui this one; that one; the one celle this one; that one; the one ceux these; those; the ones celles these; those; the ones Les deux supérettes de mon quartier sont nulles! Et celles de ton quartier? My neighborhood’s two mini-markets are lame! And the ones in your neighborhood? Quels raisins est-ce que vous avez achetés hier, ceux-ci? Which grapes did you buy yesterday, these here?
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns As with demonstrative adjectives, -ci and -là can be added after a form of celui to distinguish between people or objects that are closer (celle-ci) or farther (celui-là).
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns A form of celui can also be followed by a relative clause to mean the one(s) that or the one(s) whose. On va à cet hypermarché-ci ou à celui qui ouvre plus tôt? Are we going to this supermarket here or the one that opens earlier? La pâtisserie Michèle, c’est celle que tu aimes bien? Is the Michèle pastry shop the one you like? Ces enfants sont ceux dont l’arrière-grand-père est né en These children are the ones whose great-grandfather was born in 1910.
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns ATTENTION! Use a demonstrative pronoun followed by -ci or -là to express, respectively, the English words latter and former. Tu prends les épinards ou les asperges? Celles-ci sont plus fraîches que ceux-là. Are you having spinach or asparagus? The latter is fresher than the former.
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns A prepositional phrase can also follow a demonstrative pronoun. Mes livres et ceux de Nathalie sont dans notre chambre. My books and those of Nathalie are in our bedroom. Cette jupe en coton est moins chère que celle en soie. This cotton skirt is less expensive than the silk one.
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns Adjectives that modify forms of celui must agree with them in number and gender. Past participles should agree with forms of celui when appropriate. Ceux qui sont beaux ne sont pas toujours sympathiques. Those that are beautiful are not always nice. Leurs sœurs sont celles que nous avons vues ici hier? Are their sisters the ones we saw here yesterday?
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns ATTENTION! Forms of celui cannot stand alone; they must always be followed by -ci/-là, a relative clause, or a prepositional phrase.
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns You can use celui-là or celle-là to refer to someone in a familiar or scornful fashion. Le petit ami de Samira? Ah, celui-là! Samira’s boyfriend? Oh, that one! Elle croit qu’elle sait tout, celle-là? Does she think she knows it all, that one?
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns Ceci and cela are also demonstrative pronouns. Unlike other pronouns, they do not refer to any noun in particular, but rather to an idea. Ceci draws attention to something that is about to be said; cela refers to something that has already been said. Je vous dis ceci: il ne faut rien regretter. I say this to you: you must not regret anything. On évite les préjugés. Cela va sans dire. We avoid prejudices. That goes without saying.
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns Both ceci and cela have a literary tone to them. In everyday French, use ce or ça. Use ce before forms of être; use ça before other verbs. before a form of être beginning with a consonant Ce sont mes enfants, Abdel et Fatih. Those/They are my children, Abdel and Fatih. before a form of être beginning with a vowel C’est du saumon grillé? Is that grilled salmon? before any other verbÇa m’énerve! That annoys me!
6.2 © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc Demonstrative pronouns C’est can be used in many constructions. C’est + name identifies a person. C’est Ségolène. That/She is Ségolène. C’est + article or adjective + noun identifies a person or thing. C’est mon arrière-grand-mère. That/She is my great-grandmother. C’est + disjunctive pronoun identifies a person. C’est toi qui as trouvé ce chat? Are you the one that found this cat? C’est + adjective describes an idea or expresses an opinion. Trois semaines de vacances! C’est super. Three weeks of vacation! That’s great. infinitive + c’est + infinitive draws an equivalency between two actions. Partir, c’est mourir un peu. To leave is to die a little.