# FR: this / that - ce / ceci / cela



## dll1

*Ce semestre à* L’École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts était difficile, donc [...]

That semester at the university was difficult, so [...]

I don't know if ce indicates this as well as 'that'.

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads merged to create this one.


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## Micia93

to me, "ce" translates "this"

"that" would rather be "cela"


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## Omelette

Yes, 'ce' can be the translation of either 'this' or 'that'.
(I'm sure this will have been discussed at enormous length on other threads )


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## atcheque

Bonjour,

On peut aussi utiliser :
_Ce semestre-ci_ (*this*)
_Ce semestre-là_ (*that*)

Micia, je ne me vois pas utiliser _cela _*avec *_semestre _


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## Micia93

très juste Atchèque, ma réponse était trop courte ...


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## bhagwad

I'm familiar with how to use "ce" and how it contracts to C'est when used with "etre". But I'm having trouble figuring out how to indicate "this" and "that". For example:

That is a pencil
C'est un crayon

*This* is a pencil
(not sure)

C'est un crayon-ici? C'est-ici un crayon?

Any help would be appreciated!


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## newg

Not entirely sure but I'd say it depends on intonation. 

I'd say: 

This is a pencil - c'est un crayon.
That is a pencil - c'est un crayon.

However, if you said:

THAT is a pencil (as opposed to something else) then I'd say - ça, c'est un crayon

Finally, what you're taught in the classroom is often: 

This is a pencil - ceci est un crayon
That is a pencil - cela est un crayon


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## bhagwad

I was informed that "ceci" and "cela" are only used when the verb is not etre... http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/indefinite-demonstrative-pronoun.htm


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## Oddmania

Hi,

The thing is, _ceci _is hardly ever used in spoken French, and _cela _is almost always shortened to _ça_. The difference between _this _and _that _is simply not relevant in French. 

In English, _this _is used over _that _whenever someone refers to something close to them (in space, time or emotionally speaking). In French, we often don't bother to mark the difference (just as you don't bother or don't need to mark the difference between _Je voulais _and _J'ai voulu _in English. Both translate as _"I wanted"_ but the conversation is still perfectly comprehensible).

If you want to stress the fact that something is far from you, you might add _là-bas_ (_"Là-bas, c'est un crayon"_, kind of like _over there_ in English).


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## Maître Capello

See also FR: ce, cette, ces / ça, cela, ceci.


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## Pecannoix

Bonjour, 

To say "This signifies" or "This indicates" in a French formal essay is it better to use Ceci or Cela ? 

For example, 

"This is indicates that is more reluctant to put into place as strong legislation as France" 

Cela signifie / indique / implique que le gouvernement américain est plus réticent à mettre en place la législation aussi forte que celle de l’État française 

Or 

Ceci signifie / indique / implique que le gouvernement américain est plus réticent à mettre en place la législation aussi forte que celle de l’État française

Merci beaucoup !!


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## Oddmania

Hi,

I would use "cela" if you've already mentioned what _this _refers to earlier in the text, and "ceci" if you are about to state what it refers to. Basically, I would be very unlikely to use "ceci" unless it was followed by a colon and was used to mean "_the following_". For example, « _Ceci est d'un extrême importance*:* blah blah blah _[what "ceci" refers to] ».


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## Pecannoix

Ok thank you very much! And cela is appropriate to use in a formal essay ?


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## Maître Capello

Certainly. 

_*Cela* signifie/indique/implique que…_


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## franklin.researcher

yep Cela is definitely appropriate to use in a formal essay!


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## Dear life

Hi, could anyone please help me with the following? I'm a novice and started learning Français very recently. What do you think, 'that/this' whould translate into in French in the context down below?

—Her mother doesn't live here anymore!
—_Yes, I know **this/that**_.

Can I translate the italicized sentence as '_oui, je sais cela_'?
Here, what 'this/that' tefers to, has already been mentioned and so, taking a cue from post #12, I translated it this way. Could you please let me know if my translation is right? If it's not correct/ idiomatic, could you please give me the right/ alternative way of saying it? I look forward to your help. 
Merci beaucoup!


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## Omelette

If the choice is between 'ceci' and 'cela', then, I suppose 'cela'.
But I think the natural way to say it is 'Oui, je le sais.'


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## olivier68

On ira même plus loin en disant simplement : "Oui, je sais".


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## Dear life

Merci, omelette et olivier


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