What are Demonstrative Adjectives in French?
Demonstrative adjectives point out a specific person, thing or idea. In French, they change based on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural.
Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces) point to or highlight specific nouns and agree with them in gender and number.
- •ce — masculine (ce livre)
- •cet — masculine vowel (cet ami)
- •cette — feminine (cette fille)
- •ces — masculine/feminine plural (ces livres, ces filles)
Step-by-step worked examples
Fill in: ___ fille est intelligente (this girl is smart)
fille = feminine singular use cette answer: Cette fille est intelligente
Fill in: ___ ami est sympathique (this friend is nice)
ami = masculine singular starting with vowel 'a' use cet (not ce) answer: Cet ami est sympathique
Fill in: ___ livres sont intéressants (these books are interesting)
livres = plural (masculine or mixed) use ces answer: Ces livres sont intéressants
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.___ livre (this/that book)
Q2.___ homme (this man)
Q3.___ femmes (these women)
Q4.___ école est grande (this school is big)
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Common mistakes
Using ce for all masculine forms. — Correct: Use cet before vowels or silent h.
Confusing cette with ce. — Correct: cette = feminine, ce = masculine.
Not recognizing plural in context. — Correct: ces is used for all plurals regardless of gender.
Forgetting that vowel sound matters. — Correct: cet comes before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u, h).
FAQ
What are demonstrative adjectives in French?
Words that point out specific things (ce, cet, cette, ces = this/that/these/those).
What is the difference between ce and cet?
ce before masculine consonants; cet before masculine vowels or h.
When do you use cette?
Before feminine singular nouns (cette femme, cette table).
What is the plural demonstrative adjective?
ces for all plural nouns, regardless of gender.