8.2.8
Demonstrative Pronouns
Cela, Ça, Celui
Cela, Ça, Celui
Ça and cela are indefinite demonstrative pronouns. They are used to replace a noun in a sentence, it doesn't matter if the verb is masculine or feminine.


Cela
Cela
- 'Cela' is used with every verb apart from 'être'.
- It can be used with 'pouvoir' or 'devoir' when they are NOT followed by 'être'.
- Cela me fera plaisir de répondre à vos questions.
- I would be happy to take your questions. (Literally: This will make me happy to answer your questions.)
- Cela doit rester un secret.
- This has to remain a secret.
- Cela me fera plaisir de répondre à vos questions.


Cela continued
Cela continued
- Cela is also used as the thing having the action done to it.
- Qui a fait cela?
- Who did this?
- Qui a fait cela?


Ça
Ça
- 'Ça' is the more informal version of 'cela', it is used in the same way.
- Ça me fera plaisir.
- I would be happy to.
- Ça devrait aller mieux demain.
- That will be better tomorrow.
- Qui a fait ça?
- Who did that.
- Ça me fera plaisir.


Celui
Celui
- 'Celui' is used for replacing masculine demonstrative adjectives and the noun that follows them.
- It cannot be used by itself, it can be used on three occasions.


With '-ci-' or '-là' attached to it
With '-ci-' or '-là' attached to it
- With '-ci' added to it, it means 'this one'. With '-là' added to it, it means 'that one'.
- Quel garçon l'a fait, celui-ci ou celui-là?
- Which boy did it, this one or that one?
- Je ne sais pas si je veux celui-ci ou celui-là.
- I don't know if I want this one or that one.
- Quel garçon l'a fait, celui-ci ou celui-là?
- Note that if the noun being described is feminine, this becomes celle-ci and celle-là.


Followed by a prepositional phrase
Followed by a prepositional phrase
- Usually, these begin with 'de'.
- Quel film voulez-vous voir? Celui d'Espagne ou celui du Brésil?
- Which film do you want to watch? The one from Spain or the one from Brazil?
- Le seul vélo du village, c'était celui de mon frère.
- The only bike in the village was the one belonging to my brother.
- Lequel préférez-vous? Celui de droite ou celui de gauche?
- Which do you prefer? The one on the right or the one on the left?
- Quel film voulez-vous voir? Celui d'Espagne ou celui du Brésil?


Followed by a relative pronoun
Followed by a relative pronoun
- They are used before 'dont', 'qui' and 'que'.
- Celui dont c'est l'anniversaire.
- The one whose birthday it is.
- Celui que vous voulez.
- The one which you want.
- Celui dont c'est l'anniversaire.
1Home & Abroad
1.1Town & Rural Life
1.2Holiday, Tourism & Directions
1.4Everyday Life & Traditions
2Education & Employment
2.1School Life & Routine
2.2School Trips, Events & Exchanges
3Personal Life & Relationships
3.1House & Home
3.2Daily Routine & Helping at Home
4The World Around Us
4.1Global Issues
4.2Weather
4.3Travel & Transport
4.5Information & Tech
5Social Activities, Fitness & Health
5.1Special Occasions
5.2Hobbies & Interests
5.3Numbers
5.4Shopping & Money
5.5Illness & Health
5.6Food & Drink
6Common Tenses
6.1Present Tense
6.1.1Regular ER Verbs
6.1.2Regular IR Verbs
6.1.3Regular RE Verbs
6.1.4Reflexive Verbs
6.1.5Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)
6.1.6Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)
6.1.7Irregular IR Verbs (1/2)
6.1.8Irregular IR Verbs (2/2)
6.1.9Irregular RE Verbs (1/3)
6.1.10Irregular RE Verbs (2/3)
6.1.11Irregular RE Verbs (3/3)
6.1.12Present Participle (1/2)
6.1.13Present Participle (2/2)
6.1.14Irregular Present Participles
6.1.15Avoir & Etre
6.2Perfect Tense
6.3Imperfect tense
6.4Imperfect vs Perfect
7Advanced Tenses
7.1Conditional Tense
8Extra Grammar
8.1The Passive Voice
8.2Pronouns
8.3Asking Questions
8.4Nouns
8.7Quantifiers & Intensifiers
8.8Adjectives
8.9Negative
8.10Conjunctions
8.11Miscellaneous
Jump to other topics
1Home & Abroad
1.1Town & Rural Life
1.2Holiday, Tourism & Directions
1.4Everyday Life & Traditions
2Education & Employment
2.1School Life & Routine
2.2School Trips, Events & Exchanges
3Personal Life & Relationships
3.1House & Home
3.2Daily Routine & Helping at Home
4The World Around Us
4.1Global Issues
4.2Weather
4.3Travel & Transport
4.5Information & Tech
5Social Activities, Fitness & Health
5.1Special Occasions
5.2Hobbies & Interests
5.3Numbers
5.4Shopping & Money
5.5Illness & Health
5.6Food & Drink
6Common Tenses
6.1Present Tense
6.1.1Regular ER Verbs
6.1.2Regular IR Verbs
6.1.3Regular RE Verbs
6.1.4Reflexive Verbs
6.1.5Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)
6.1.6Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)
6.1.7Irregular IR Verbs (1/2)
6.1.8Irregular IR Verbs (2/2)
6.1.9Irregular RE Verbs (1/3)
6.1.10Irregular RE Verbs (2/3)
6.1.11Irregular RE Verbs (3/3)
6.1.12Present Participle (1/2)
6.1.13Present Participle (2/2)
6.1.14Irregular Present Participles
6.1.15Avoir & Etre
6.2Perfect Tense
6.3Imperfect tense
6.4Imperfect vs Perfect
7Advanced Tenses
7.1Conditional Tense
8Extra Grammar
8.1The Passive Voice
8.2Pronouns
8.3Asking Questions
8.4Nouns
8.7Quantifiers & Intensifiers
8.8Adjectives
8.9Negative
8.10Conjunctions
8.11Miscellaneous
Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium
Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions
Mini-mock exams based on your study history
Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books