Ton stylo ne fonctionne plus ; utilise celui que le marchand t’a donné.

your

Breakdown of Ton stylo ne fonctionne plus ; utilise celui que le marchand t’a donné.

• fonctionner: to function
• te: you (object pronoun)
• que: that

Questions & Answers about Ton stylo ne fonctionne plus ; utilise celui que le marchand t’a donné.

What does ne… plus mean in Ton stylo ne fonctionne plus?

The construction ne… plus is a two-part negative meaning “no longer” or “anymore.”

• ne precedes the verb
• plus follows it
  So Ton stylo ne fonctionne plus = “Your pen doesn’t work anymore.”

Why is there a semicolon between ne fonctionne plus and utilise?

A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses:

• It’s stronger than a comma but weaker than a period.
• Here it shows consequence: your pen is broken; therefore, use the other one.
  You could also use a period or a dash, but the semicolon nicely balances the two commands.

How does celui function in utilise celui que le marchand t’a donné?

celui is a masculine singular demonstrative pronoun replacing le stylo.
It stands alone (no noun after it) and refers back to “that pen.”
The clause que le marchand t’a donné specifies which one.

Are there other forms of celui for different genders or numbers?