celui-ci
/sə.lɥi.si/
The English phrase "this one" is translated into French as celui-ci.
celui-ci is used to identify a specific person or thing among a group, particularly one that is close to the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the demonstrative pronoun celui (that one) and the adverb ci (here/this), literally meaning "that one here".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form must change to match the gender and number of the noun you are referring to. Use celle-ci for a feminine singular noun, ceux-ci for masculine plural nouns and celles-ci for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/sə.lɥi.si/
Did you know?
- When identifying a person in a crowd, using celui-ci can feel slightly dehumanizing, as it treats the person more like a chosen object than a human being.
- In spoken French, the suffix -ci is often dropped entirely in casual conversation, even if the speaker is still pointing at a specific object.
- In legal or highly formal French writing, celui-ci is used to refer specifically to the last-mentioned person in a list to avoid ambiguity.
Examples in context
- Qui veut celui-ci ?Who wants this one?This sentence is useful for asking who wants a specific item.Tatoeba #7849188 by Aiji, translation #2011458 by CK
- Il me faut celui-ci.I need this one.This sentence is useful for expressing a specific need.Tatoeba #7793297 by Aiji, translation #2387552 by CK
- Celui-ci est le pire.This one is the worst.This sentence is useful for identifying the worst of a group.Tatoeba #7555143 by Aiji, translation #5009666 by CK
- J'ai deux livres, celui-ci est intéressant, mais celui-là est vraiment captivant !I have two books, this one is interesting, but that one is really captivating!
- 96 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are choosing a cake at a bakery.
- ManonLequel préfères-tu, Lucas ?Which one do you prefer, Lucas?
- LucasJe préfère celui-ci, il a l'air bon.I prefer this one, it looks good.
- ManonC'est un bon choix.That is a good choice.
- LucasPrenons celui-ci alors !Let's take this one then!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry celui-ci, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
