ce / cet / cette / ces

Demonstrative Adjectives Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces

Level 1

Use ce (masc.), cet (masc. + vowel), cette (fem.), or ces (plural) to point out specific things.

How It Works

Demonstrative adjectives are placed directly before a noun to identify a specific person or object.

1. Choosing the right form:

  • Ce: Used for masculine singular nouns starting with a consonant or an 'aspirated H' (e.g., ce livre, ce héros).
  • Cet: Used for masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or mute H (e.g., cet ami, cet homme). This prevents a 'vowel clash.'
  • Cette: Used for all feminine singular nouns (e.g., cette femme, cette idée).
  • Ces: Used for all plural nouns, regardless of gender (e.g., ces enfants).

2. Important Rules:

  • Word Order: The choice of ce vs cet depends on the word immediately following it. For example, ce château becomes cet ancien château because the adjective starts with a vowel.
  • Repetition: Unlike in English, you must repeat the demonstrative before every noun in a list (e.g., ce stylo et cette règle).

3. This vs. That:
French doesn't naturally distinguish between 'this' (near) and 'that' (far) with these words alone. If you need to be specific, add a suffix to the noun:

  • -ci for 'this' (near): ce livre-ci
  • -là for 'that' (far): ce livre-là

Examples (6)

  1. Ce garçon est mon frère.

    This boy is my brother.

    Word by Word: This boy is my brother.

    'Ce' is used because 'garçon' is masculine singular and starts with a consonant.

  2. Cet ordinateur est vieux.

    This computer is old.

    Word by Word: This computer is old.

    'Cet' is used because 'ordinateur' is masculine singular but starts with a vowel.

  3. J'aime beaucoup cette chanson.

    I like this song a lot.

    Word by Word: I like very much this song.

    'Cette' is used for the feminine singular noun 'chanson'.

  4. Ces fleurs sont pour toi.

    These flowers are for you.

    Word by Word: These flowers are for you.

    'Ces' is the plural form used for both masculine and feminine nouns.

  5. Ce héros est courageux.

    This hero is brave.

    Word by Word: This hero is brave.

    'Ce' is used before 'héros' because it starts with an aspirated H, which acts like a consonant.

  6. Cet ancien château est beau.

    This old castle is beautiful.

    Word by Word: This old castle is beautiful.

    The form depends on the word immediately following it; 'château' is masculine, but 'ancien' starts with a vowel, so we use 'cet'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'ce' before a masculine noun starting with a vowel.

    ce ami
    cet ami

    To avoid a vowel clash (hiatus), 'ce' becomes 'cet' before a vowel or mute H.

  • Thinking 'cet' is the feminine form.

    cet école
    cette école

    'Cet' is strictly masculine. Feminine nouns always use 'cette', even if they start with a vowel.

  • Forgetting to repeat the demonstrative in a list.

    ce livre et stylo
    ce livre et ce stylo

    In French, you must repeat the demonstrative adjective before every noun in a series.

How It Connects

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ce / cet / cette / cesLevel 1Demonstrative Adjectives Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces

Learn This First

To use demonstrative adjectives correctly, you must understand that French nouns have gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural), as the adjective must agree with the noun. Additionally, you need to recognize how vowel sounds at the start of words affect the choice of the masculine singular form.

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cet