When do we use Cela?
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Anish K.Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
When do we use Cela?
When you say Cela is a formal version, does it mean it is used often in written form?
This question relates to:French lesson "Qu'est-ce que c'est... and Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça/cela ? = What is... / What's that? in French"
Asked 7 years ago
Ron T. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Ce = this/that .. Ce pain =this bread/that bread Ca = that/this ... Veux-tu ça ? = Do you want that ?
Ceci/cela = this/that (here, not really defined) Ceci est un chien = "this thing here" is a dog/ "this" is a dog. Cela me va bien = "it" suits me well ("this thing" suits me well)
Celui/Celle = this/that one (among others, yes masculine/feminine forms) Voici mes frères, celui qui a un chapeau s'appelle Danny (Here are my brothers, the one with a hat is named Danny) Les plus résistantes sont celles qui ont le plus de volonté (The most resistant are the ones that have most will "among women")
"Ca" and "Cela" can be exchanged one for another, used for something undefined, here or there... the english "it" Usually "ce"/"cet" is used with a noun, to precise it (this thing), note that the feminine version might be "cette" "Ceci" is used for something undefined right here, close to the speaker "Celui/celle" for a precision among a group, as to distinguish it.
Also, take a look at this:
Ce chien-ci --> this dog
Ce chien-là --> that dog
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