French Demonstrative Adjectives And Pronouns: Ce, Cette, Ces
Learn how to say this, that, these, and those in French without turning your brain into mashed baguette.
French demonstratives help you point at people and things: this book, that chair, these shoes. They are everywhere in daily French, so getting them right makes your sentences sound instantly more natural.
In this lesson, you will learn the difference between demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns, how ce, cet, cette, ces work, and what to say when the noun disappears and French expects a pronoun instead. Nice. Efficient. Slightly bossy. Very French.
Yak Box: The Big Difference
- Demonstrative adjectives go before a noun: ce livre = this book / that book.
- Demonstrative pronouns replace the noun: celui-ci = this one.
- Ce can also work as a pronoun by itself in some structures: Ce n’est pas facile. = That is not easy.
Demonstrative Adjectives In French
These are the words you put in front of a noun to mean this, that, these, or those. French chooses the form based on the noun’s gender and number.
| Form | Use | English Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ce | Masculine singular before a consonant | this / that | ce livre | this book / that book |
| cet | Masculine singular before a vowel or mute h | this / that | cet hôtel | this hotel / that hotel |
| cette | Feminine singular | this / that | cette voiture | this car / that car |
| ces | Plural masculine or feminine | these / those | ces chaussures | these shoes / those shoes |
Yes, cet is part of the family. French sneaks it in to avoid ugly sound crashes. So if you are learning ce, you really need cet too.
Rule: Use Ce With Masculine Singular Nouns
ce means this or that before a masculine singular noun that starts with a consonant.
- ce livre — this book / that book
Ce livre est intéressant. — This book is interesting. - ce garçon — this boy / that boy
Ce garçon parle très vite. — This boy speaks very fast. - ce restaurant — this restaurant / that restaurant
Je connais bien ce restaurant. — I know that restaurant well.
Rule: Use Cet Before A Vowel Or Mute H
cet is still masculine singular. It appears before a noun that starts with a vowel or a mute h. French likes smooth pronunciation. Fair enough.
- cet ami — this friend / that friend
Cet ami habite à Lyon. — This friend lives in Lyon. - cet hôtel — this hotel / that hotel
Cet hôtel est très calme. — This hotel is very quiet. - cet arbre — this tree / that tree
Regarde cet arbre. — Look at that tree.
Rule: Use Cette With Feminine Singular Nouns
- cette table — this table / that table
Cette table est réservée. — This table is reserved. - cette idée — this idea / that idea
J’aime cette idée. — I like that idea. - cette rue — this street / that street
Cette rue est très jolie. — This street is very pretty.
Rule: Use Ces With All Plural Nouns
- ces livres — these books / those books
Ces livres sont nouveaux. — These books are new. - ces filles — these girls / those girls
Ces filles chantent bien. — These girls sing well. - ces enfants — these children / those children
Ces enfants jouent dehors. — These children are playing outside.
Does French Distinguish “This” And “That” Here?
Usually, ce, cet, cette, ces can mean both this/these and that/those. Context does most of the work.
If you really want to stress distance, French can add -ci for this and -là for that.
| French | English Meaning | Example Sentence | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ce livre-ci | this book | Je prends ce livre-ci. | I’m taking this book. |
| ce livre-là | that book | Je préfère ce livre-là. | I prefer that book. |
| cette chaise-ci | this chair | Cette chaise-ci est plus confortable. | This chair is more comfortable. |
| ces chaussures-là | those shoes | Ces chaussures-là sont trop chères. | Those shoes are too expensive. |
Demonstrative Pronouns In French
Now the noun disappears, and the pronoun takes over. Instead of saying this book, you say this one. That is where demonstrative pronouns step in.
| Form | Use | English Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| celui-ci / celui-là | Masculine singular | this one / that one | Je préfère celui-ci. | I prefer this one. |
| celle-ci / celle-là | Feminine singular | this one / that one | Prends celle-là. | Take that one. |
| ceux-ci / ceux-là | Masculine plural | these ones / those ones | Ceux-ci sont meilleurs. | These ones are better. |
| celles-ci / celles-là | Feminine plural | these ones / those ones | Celles-là sont jolies. | Those ones are pretty. |
These pronouns often appear when you are comparing things and do not want to repeat the noun every five seconds like a tired robot.
Masculine Singular
celui-ci — this one
Entre les deux pulls, je préfère celui-ci.
Between the two sweaters, I prefer this one.
celui-là — that one
Tu veux celui-là ou l’autre ?
Do you want that one or the other one?
Feminine Singular
celle-ci — this one
Laquelle est ta tasse ? Celle-ci.
Which one is your cup? This one.
celle-là — that one
Je ne prends pas cette robe, je prends celle-là.
I’m not taking this dress, I’m taking that one.
Masculine Plural
ceux-ci — these ones
Ceux-ci sont moins chers.
These ones are cheaper.
ceux-là — those ones
Je connais ceux-là depuis longtemps.
I’ve known those ones for a long time.
Feminine Plural
celles-ci — these ones
Celles-ci sont prêtes.
These ones are ready.
celles-là — those ones
Je préfère celles-là pour la fête.
I prefer those ones for the party.
What About Ce As A Pronoun?
This is the part that annoys beginners a little. Ce is not only a demonstrative adjective. It can also be a pronoun in common French sentences.
| French Form | English Meaning | Example Sentence | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| c’est | this is / that is / it is | C’est mon frère. | That is my brother. |
| ce sont | these are / those are | Ce sont mes clés. | Those are my keys. |
| ce n’est pas | this is not / that is not / it is not | Ce n’est pas vrai. | That is not true. |
| ce qui | what / that which | J’aime ce qui est simple. | I like what is simple. |
| ce que | what / that which | Je comprends ce que tu dis. | I understand what you are saying. |
So yes, ce can point to a noun in front of it, and it can also stand alone in fixed structures. French really believes in keeping you awake.
Rule Patterns You Can Reuse Fast
| Pattern | Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ce + masculine singular noun | this / that + noun | ce film — this film | ce voisin — that neighbour |
| cet + vowel/mute h noun | this / that + noun | cet appartement — this apartment | cet homme — that man |
| cette + feminine singular noun | this / that + noun | cette chanson — this song | cette photo — that photo |
| ces + plural noun | these / those + noun | ces amis — these friends | ces fleurs — those flowers |
| celui / celle / ceux / celles + -ci / -là | this one / that one | celle-ci — this one | ceux-là — those ones |
| c’est / ce sont | this is / these are | C’est facile. — It’s easy. | Ce sont mes parents. — These are my parents. |
Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes
- Wrong: ce voiture
Right: cette voiture
Use cette because voiture is feminine. - Wrong: ce ami
Right: cet ami
Use cet before a vowel sound. - Wrong: ce livres
Right: ces livres
Use ces for all plural nouns. - Wrong: Je préfère ce.
Right: Je préfère celui-ci.
If the noun disappears, you usually need a demonstrative pronoun, not just ce. - Wrong: Celles livre est bon.
Right: Ce livre est bon.
Celles is a pronoun, not an adjective. Do not put it before a noun.
Mini Practice
Try these before peeking at the answers. Tiny effort, big payoff.
- Choose the correct word: ___ maison est grande.
- Choose the correct word: ___ ami arrive demain.
- Replace the noun with a pronoun: J’aime cette robe. Je prends ___.
- Choose the correct word: ___ enfants sont fatigués.
- Translate: That is my bag.
Answers
- Cette maison est grande. — This house is big.
- Cet ami arrive demain. — This friend is arriving tomorrow.
- J’aime cette robe. Je prends celle-ci. — I like this dress. I’m taking this one.
- Ces enfants sont fatigués. — These children are tired.
- C’est mon sac. — That is my bag.
Quick Reference Summary
- ce = masculine singular before a consonant
- cet = masculine singular before a vowel or mute h
- cette = feminine singular
- ces = plural for both genders
- celui / celle / ceux / celles = this one / that one / these ones / those ones
- c’est / ce sont = this is / that is / these are / those are
- -ci points to what is nearer; -là points to what is farther or contrasted
Final Yak
Remember the core move: adjective before a noun, pronoun instead of a noun. If the noun is still there, use ce, cet, cette, ces. If the noun is gone, use celui, celle, ceux, celles. And when French says c’est, just accept that ce is doing pronoun duty again. Dramatic little word, that one.
