Celui/celle/ceux/celles = the one(s) (French Demonstrative Pronouns)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2024-05-07

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Demonstrative pronouns indicate which person/people or thing(s) (out of a set or list of possible people or things) we are specifically talking about.

Learn about French demonstrative pronouns

Look at these sentences:

Eva aime mes biscuits mais déteste ceux de sa tante.Eva likes my biscuits but hates her aunt's.

Celles que je préfère sont les pommes vertes.The ones I prefer are the green apples.

Dans ce groupe, le chanteur est celui avec des lunettes.In this band, the singer is the one with glasses.

Regarde ces filles. Celle qui court s'appelle Sophia.Look at those girls. The one running is called Sophia.

Notice that to avoid repetition, you can use the following pronouns:
celui / celle (the one), ceux / celles (the ones).

Note also that the pronouns agree in gender and number with the thing they refer to.

	Masculine	Feminine
Singular	celui	celle
Plural	ceux	celles

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Pronom démonstratif

Examples and resources

C'est ton fils? - Non, c'est celui de Paul.Is it your son? - No, it's Paul's (one).