Demonstratives: ce, cet, cette, ces
French has one set of demonstratives for both this and that. Add -ci or -là to the noun only when you need to contrast.
| form | example | |
|---|---|---|
| masc. | ce | ce livre |
| masc. before vowel / h | cet | cet homme, cet ami |
| fem. | cette | cette maison |
| plural | ces | ces enfants |
Notes
- Contrast: ce livre-ci (this book here) / ce livre-là (that book there).
- Time: ce matin (this morning), cette semaine, cet été.
- ça / cela = that (thing), as a pronoun: Ça coûte combien ? J’aime ça.
Examples
- Ce restaurant est excellent.This restaurant is excellent.
- Qui est cet homme ?Who is that man?
- Cette année, je pars en Italie.This year I’m going to Italy.
- Je prends ces chaussures.I’ll take these shoes.
- Ce soir, ces gens sont fatigués.Tonight these people are tired.
Common mistakes
- ✗ J’aime ce chaussures.✓ J’aime ces chaussures.A plural noun needs ces, as English these does, and ce cannot be used before a plural noun.
- ✗ Ce homme est grand.✓ Cet homme est grand.Before a vowel or silent h the masculine form is cet, a change that English this never makes.
- ✗ Ce semaine, j’ai un examen.✓ Cette semaine, j’ai un examen.Semaine is feminine, so the demonstrative has to be cette.
- ✗ Ce livre là est cher.✓ Ce livre-là est cher.The particle -là is attached to the noun with a hyphen.
- ✗ J’aime ce.✓ J’aime ça.On its own the demonstrative is ça, since ce can only appear before a noun.