Je préfère celles-ci parce qu’elles sont plus confortables.

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Breakdown of Je préfère celles-ci parce qu’elles sont plus confortables.

• être: to be
• parce que: because
• confortable: comfortable

Questions & Answers about Je préfère celles-ci parce qu’elles sont plus confortables.

Why does French use celles-ci here instead of just elles or ces?

Celles-ci is a demonstrative pronoun. It means these ones and replaces a noun that has already been mentioned or is obvious from context.

• ces = these/those
  • a noun
    
    • example: ces chaussures = these shoes
• celles-ci = these ones
  
  • it replaces the noun instead of repeating it

So if you are comparing two sets of shoes, you might say:

• Je préfère ces chaussures. = I prefer these shoes.
• Je préfère celles-ci. = I prefer these ones.

Elles just means they, so it would not have the same pointing/contrasting effect as celles-ci.

Why is it celles-ci and not ceux-ci?

Because celles-ci is the feminine plural form, while ceux-ci is the masculine plural form.

The demonstrative pronouns are:

• celui-ci = this one / the latter one here (masculine singular)
• celle-ci = this one (feminine singular)
• ceux-ci = these ones (masculine plural)
• celles-ci = these ones (feminine plural)

So the form depends on the noun being replaced.