Demonstrative Adjectives

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Introduction to Demonstrative Adjectives: This, That, These Those = Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces

What are demonstrative adjectives?

If you want to point to something in particular in English you use the words ‘this, that, these or those’.

Instead of saying ‘I want the apple’, using the word ‘this’ allows us to demonstrate which particular apple we want. The demonstrative adjective is what allows us to describe the particular object we are referring to.

In French, we use ‘ce, cet, cette or ces’ where we would use ‘this, that, these or those’ in English.  These words must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to:

Ce is used when the noun we are referring to is masculine singular:

Ce livre est ennuyant. – This (That) book is boring.
J’aime ce tableau. – I like this (that) painting.
Je veux voir ce film – I want to see this (that) film.

Ce becomes cet in front of a masculine noun that begins with a vowel or mute h:

Cet homme est intelligent. – This (That) man is intelligent.
Je connais cet endroit. – I know this (that) place.

Cette is used to refer to feminine singular nouns:

Cette notion m’intrigue. – This (That) idea intrigues me.
Je veux parler à cette femme. – I want to talk to this (that) woman.

Ces is plural:

Ces filles sont amusantes. – These (Those) girls are entertaining.
Ces garçons sont amusants. – These (Those) boys are entertaining.

Notes:

Ces is used to describe all plural nouns. “cettes” does not exist!

ce, cet, and cette can all mean “this” or “that.” Whomever you’re talking to can usually tell by the context which you mean, but if you want to add emphasis to one or the other, use the suffixes -ci (here) and -là (there):

Ce prof-ci parle peu. – This teacher talks very little.
Ce livre-là est difficile. – That book is difficult.
Cet étudiant-ci va réussir aux examens. – This student will pass the exams.
Cette fille-là est sage. – That girl is wise.

Likewise, ces can mean “these” or “those,” and again you can use the suffixes to be more explicit:

Je veux regarder ces dvds-là. – I want to look at those DVDs.
Je préfère ces chansons-ci. – I prefer these songs.
Ces maisons-ci sont plus impressionantes que ces maisons-là. – These houses are more impressive than those houses.

The demonstrative adjective ce does not contract (we do NOT shorten it to c’) – in front of a vowel it changes to cet. So c’ in the expression c’est is not a demonstrative adjective: it is an indefinite (ie, non-specific) demonstrative pronoun – meaning ‘It’.

To test your knowledge of demonstrative adjectives click HERE.

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