Demonstrative Pronouns in French: A Guide with Examples

Demonstrative pronouns in French are used to point out specific people or things without naming them. They replace nouns that have already been mentioned or are understood from context. In English, these correspond to words like “this one,” “that one,” “these,” or “those.”

1. French Demonstrative Pronouns

2. Usage of Demonstrative Pronouns

French demonstrative pronouns replace a noun and must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Unlike their English counterparts, French demonstrative pronouns are often followed by additional words or clauses to clarify what they refer to.

A. Clarifying with -ci and -là

You can add -ci (here) or -là (there) to distinguish between two items:

• Celui-ci → this one (here)
• Celui-là → that one (there)

Examples:

• Tu préfères ce gâteau ou celui-là ?
  (Do you prefer this cake or that one?)
• Ces livres sont plus intéressants que ceux-ci.
  (These books are more interesting than these ones.)

B. Followed by a Clause

Demonstrative pronouns are often followed by relative clauses (introduced by qui, que, or dont) to specify their meaning.

Examples:

• Celui qui parle est mon frère.
  (The one who is speaking is my brother.)
• Celle que tu cherches est dans la cuisine.
  (The one you’re looking for is in the kitchen.)
• Ceux dont je t’ai parlé sont ici.
  (The ones I told you about are here.)

3. Examples by Gender and Number

A. Singular Examples

• Masculine:
  • Celui de Jean est bleu.
    (Jean’s one is blue.)
  • Celui-ci est plus grand que celui-là.
    (This one is bigger than that one.)
• Feminine:
  • Celle que j’ai achetée est rouge.
    (The one I bought is red.)
  • Celle-ci est meilleure que celle-là.
    (This one is better than that one.)

B. Plural Examples

• Masculine:
  • Ceux qui arrivent sont en retard.
    (The ones who are arriving are late.)
  • Je préfère ceux-là à ceux-ci.
    (I prefer those to these.)
• Feminine:
  • Celles que j’ai vues étaient magnifiques.
    (The ones I saw were magnificent.)
  • Celles-ci sont plus chères que celles-là.
    (These ones are more expensive than those ones.)

4. Special Uses

A. Possession

Demonstrative pronouns can express possession when followed by de.

• Celui de Pierre est cassé.
  (Pierre’s one is broken.)
• Celle de Marie est jolie.
  (Marie’s one is pretty.)

B. Comparing

To compare two or more items:

• Ces chaussures sont plus confortables que celles-là.
  (These shoes are more comfortable than those.)

C. Emphasis

Demonstrative pronouns can emphasize or specify an item or group.

• C’est celle que je préfère.
  (This is the one I prefer.)

5. Common Mistakes

A. Forgetting Gender and Number Agreement

• Incorrect: Celui que j’ai vue était jolie.
• Correct: Celle que j’ai vue était jolie.
  (The one I saw was pretty.)

B. Confusing Demonstrative Pronouns with Adjectives

• Ce livre (this book) uses a demonstrative adjective.
• Celui-ci (this one) uses a demonstrative pronoun.

6. Practice Sentences

1. Replace the noun with a demonstrative pronoun:
   • Ce gâteau est délicieux, mais je préfère ___ (that one).
   • Ces fleurs sont belles, mais ___ (those ones) sont plus colorées.
   • La voiture de Marie est rapide, mais ___ (Jean’s one) est plus puissante.
2. Translate into French using demonstrative pronouns:
   • The one you like is expensive.
   • I prefer these ones to those ones.
   • The ones we saw are perfect.

7. Summary

Demonstrative pronouns in French are versatile tools for replacing nouns while pointing out specific items or groups. Whether adding emphasis, expressing possession, or specifying a preference, mastering these pronouns will enhance your fluency and precision in French.

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

Direct Object Pronouns, also known as “Pronoms Compléments d’Objet Direct” in French, are pronouns used to replace direct objects in a sentence without repeating them. Choose the correct direct object pronouns in the following sentences.