Demonstrative adjectives are used to point out specific people or things and mean “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those.” In French, they agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the nouns they modify.
| Singular | Plural | Meaning | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ce (before consonant) | ces | this/that | Ce livre est intéressant. | This/That book is interesting. |
| cet (before vowel or mute h) | ces | this/that | Cet homme est gentil. | This/That man is kind. |
| cette | ces | this/that | Cette voiture est rouge. | This/That car is red. |
- ce is used before masculine singular nouns starting with a consonant.
- cet is used before masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or mute h (to ease pronunciation).
- cette is used before all feminine singular nouns.
- ces is used before all plural nouns (both masculine and feminine).
Usage
Demonstrative adjectives must always be followed by a noun. They serve to specify which exact person or thing you’re talking about.
| Usage | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|
| Pointing to a near item | J’aime ce gâteau. | I like this cake. |
| Pointing to a distant item | Regarde cette maison là-bas. | Look at that house over there. |
| Talking about plural items | Ces fleurs sont belles. | These/Those flowers are beautiful. |
- They can indicate something near the speaker (“this”/“these”) or something further away (“that”/“those”), though in spoken French the same forms are often used for both.
- Adding -ci (here) or -là (there) after the noun can clarify distance: ce livre-ci (this book here), ce livre-là (that book there).
Do the forms ce, cet, cette, and ces change when you add -ci or -là to the noun?
No, the demonstrative adjective stays the same
Adding -ci or -là to the noun does not affect the demonstrative adjective itself; you still use ce, cet, cette, or ces according to the noun’s gender and number.
Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ce garçon est mon frère. | This/That boy is my brother. |
| Cet arbre est très grand. | This/That tree is very tall. |
| Cette fille est intelligente. | This/That girl is intelligent. |
| Ces chiens sont bruyants. | These/Those dogs are noisy. |
| J’ai cette robe-ci et cette robe-là. | I have this dress here and that dress there. |
Key Points
| Rule | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|
| Agree with the noun’s gender and number | J’aime cette chanson. / J’aime ce chanteur. | I like this song. / I like this singer. |
| Use cet before vowels/h mute (masculine singular) | Cet hôtel est charmant. | This/That hotel is charming. |
| Use ces for all plurals | Ces enfants jouent dehors. | These/Those children are playing outside. |
| Add -ci or -là to specify “here” or “there” | Prends ce stylo-ci. / Prends ce stylo-là. | Take this pen here. / Take that pen there. |
Summary
- Demonstrative adjectives ce, cet, cette, ces help you point out specific people or things.
- They must agree with the noun’s gender (masc./fem.) and number (sing./pl.).
- They always come before the noun.
- Use ce before masculine nouns starting with a consonant; use cet before masculine nouns starting with a vowel or mute h.
- Use cette before feminine singular nouns.
- Use ces before all plural nouns.
- Adding -ci (here) or -là (there) after the noun can clarify which one you mean.
With these forms and rules, you can confidently point out “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those” in French!
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- Singular: ce (before consonant)
- Plural: ces
- Meaning: this/that
- Example (English): This/That book is interesting.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
