celui-là
/sə.lɥi.la/
The English phrase "that one" can be translated into French as celui-là.
celui-là is used to specify a particular object. In colloquial speech, it can also be used to refer to a specific person, often to add emphasis or to convey a tone of annoyance.
Meaning: specified object (pron)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the demonstrative pronoun celui (that which) and the particle -là (there).
Which one should you use?
While celui-là means "that one" and refers to something further away, celui-ci means "this one" and refers to something closer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes based on the gender and number of the noun it replaces. Use celle-là for feminine singular nouns, ceux-là for masculine plural nouns and celles-là for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
celui-là is pronounced /sə.lɥi.la/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The 'l' in celui is a remnant of the Latin demonstrative 'ille', which is also the root for the English word 'illustrious'.
- While celui-là can mean 'that person', using it to point at someone can sound quite dismissive or rude, similar to calling someone 'that guy' with a roll of the eyes in English.
- When choosing between celui-ci and celui-là, French speakers often use the former for the first of two items mentioned and the latter for the second.
Examples in context
- Je n'aime pas celui-là.I don't like that one.Tatoeba #2504905 by sacredceltic, translation #2276096 by CK
- Il a du culot, celui-là !The nerves of that one!Tatoeba #1723035 by sacredceltic, translation #1723523 by belgavox
- Je vais prendre celui-là.I'll take that one.Tatoeba #8126621 by Aiji, translation #2548752 by CK
- Je préfère celui-là.I prefer that one
- Je veux celui-là.I want that one
- Ce truc-là, c'est le mien.That one is mine
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are looking at books in a store.
- LéaTu préfères quel livre ?Which book do you prefer?
- NathanJe veux celui-là.I want that one.
- LéaCelui-là est très intéressant.That one is very interesting.
- NathanOui, je le prends.Yes, I'll take it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry celui-là, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
