Demonstrative Adjectives in French

French demonstrative adjectives are essential for pointing out specific people, objects, or ideas. They're equivalent to "this," "that," "these," and "those" in English. Let's explore how to use them correctly.

Basic Forms

The four French demonstrative adjectives are:

• Ce (masculine singular)
• Cette (feminine singular)
• Cet (masculine singular before a vowel or silent h)
• Ces (plural for both genders)

Usage Rules

Masculine Singular

Use "ce" before masculine singular nouns:

• Ce livre (this/that book)
• Ce garçon (this/that boy)

Feminine Singular

Use "cette" before feminine singular nouns:

• Cette table (this/that table)
• Cette fille (this/that girl)

Masculine Singular Before Vowels

Use "cet" before masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or silent h:

• Cet arbre (this/that tree)
• Cet homme (this/that man)

Plural (Both Genders)

Use "ces" for all plural nouns:

• Ces livres (these/those books)
• Ces tables (these/those tables)

Examples in Context

• J'aime ce restaurant. (I like this restaurant.)
• Cette voiture est rapide. (This car is fast.)
• Cet ordinateur est nouveau. (This computer is new.)
• Ces fleurs sont belles. (These flowers are beautiful.)

Remember, French demonstrative adjectives always agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Practice using them in various contexts to become more comfortable with their usage.