cela — meaning in English
French → English · translate English → French instead
English meaning
- it pron Used to refer to a thing, animal, or abstract idea that has already been mentioned or is understood.
- that det Used to point out a specific thing, person, or idea, especially one that is more distant (in space, time, or attention) than something called "this."
- thereof adv Of that; belonging to or coming from that thing already mentioned.
Senses
cela is used for these senses in English:
- it The impersonal pronoun, used as a placeholder for a delayed subject, or less commonly, object; known as the dummy pronoun (according to some definitions), anticipatory it or, more formally in linguistics, a syntactic expletive. The delayed subject is commonly a to-infinitive, a gerund, or a noun clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction.
- that (degree) To a given extent or degree.
- that (demonstrative) The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action, or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction. [from 9thc.]
- thereof Of this, that, or it.
it — full definition
- pron Used to refer to a thing, animal, or abstract idea that has already been mentioned or is understood.
- pron Used as a placeholder subject in sentences describing weather, time, or general conditions.
that — full definition
- det Used to point out a specific thing, person, or idea, especially one that is more distant (in space, time, or attention) than something called "this."
- pron Used in place of a noun already mentioned, to refer to it again.
- conj Used to introduce a clause explaining or reporting something, often after verbs like "say," "think," or "know."
- pron Used to introduce extra information about a noun already mentioned (a relative clause), similar to "which" or "who."
- adv To the degree just mentioned; so.