Demonstrative adjectives point to specific things and show whether they are near or far from the speaker. They agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Basic Demonstratives
The basic demonstrative adjectives in French are ce, cette, ces, and cet, and they show whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.
| French Adjective | English Translation | French Adjective | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ce | that / this | cette | that / this | |
| cet | that / this (before vowel) | ces | those / these |
This house is big.
Usage
Use ce for masculine singular nouns that begin with a consonant, cet for masculine singular nouns that begin with a vowel or mute h, cette for feminine singular nouns, and ces for plural nouns of either gender. The demonstrative adjective must directly precede the noun.
Examples
Neutre : ce / cela / ça
When referring to an idea, situation, or when the noun is not mentioned, use ce, cela, or ça. Use ce before verbs like être and cela or ça in other positions. Ça is informal.
Adjectives and Nouns
The demonstrative adjective always comes before the noun, and any descriptive adjective comes after the noun. The demonstrative adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun, not with the adjective.
Summary
Demonstrative adjectives ce*, *cet*, *cette*, *ces point to specific nouns and agree in gender and number. Use the neuter forms ce*, *cela*, *ça to refer to ideas or when no noun follows.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025