pronounpronoun

celui-ci

this one

C'est un mot utilisé pour parler d'une chose ou d'une personne proche de celui qui parle.

"Celui-ci" is a French demonstrative pronoun that means "this one" in English. It is used to refer to a specific masculine singular noun that is near the speaker or something just mentioned.

Breakdown:

"Celui" means "the one" (masculine singular).
"Ci" is an adverb meaning "here" or "this," indicating proximity.

Together, "celui-ci" literally means "this one here."

Usage:

To point out or specify a particular masculine singular object or person, especially when contrasting with another (e.g., "celui-là" meaning "that one" farther away).
Example: "Regarde celui-ci, il est plus grand." ("Look at this one; it is bigger.")

Synonyms and differences:

"Celui" alone: means "the one," but without "ci" or "là," it is less specific about distance.
"Celui-là": means "that one" (masculine singular), indicating something farther from the speaker.
"Ceci": means "this" (used for abstract concepts or unspecified things).
"Cela"/"ça": means "that."

In summary, "celui-ci" specifically points to a defined masculine singular noun close to the speaker.