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Role models: celui, dont, lequel

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When you describe someone you admire, these pronouns help you avoid repetition and link ideas.

Describing a role model

un modèle (a role model), admirer (to admire), inspirer (to inspire), courageux / courageuse (brave), travailleur / travailleuse (hard-working), généreux / généreuse (generous).
Mon modèle, c'est ma mère parce qu'elle est courageuse.
C'est quelqu'un de travailleur. = He / she is someone hard-working.

Demonstrative pronouns

celui (m), celle (f), ceux (m pl), celles (f pl) = the one(s).
They are followed by qui, que or de.
Ceux qui travaillent dur réussissent. = Those who work hard succeed.
J'admire mes deux tantes, surtout celle qui est médecin.
les chaussures de mon frère et celles de mon père

Recognise: dont and lequel

dont = whose / of which / about whom: la femme dont je parle (the woman I am talking about).
lequel / laquelle (which) after a preposition: le stylo avec lequel j'écris (the pen with which I write).
You need to recognise these in reading and listening.
Worked example

Translate: my brother's shoes and my father's (those of my father).

  1. my brother's shoes: les chaussures de mon frère.
  2. those (feminine plural, chaussures): celles.
  3. of my father: de mon père.

Answer: les chaussures de mon frère et celles de mon père

Key idea

celui / celle / ceux / celles + qui, que or de = the one(s). Recognise dont (whose, about which) and lequel (which, after a preposition).

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