How to Use French Demonstrative Adjectives

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

Basic Forms

French has four main demonstrative adjectives:

• Ce (masculine singular)
• Cette (feminine singular)
• 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)

Before a vowel or silent h, "ce" becomes "cet":

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

Feminine Singular

Use "cette" before feminine singular nouns:

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

Plural

Use "ces" for all plural nouns, regardless of gender:

• Ces livres (these/those books)
• Ces filles (these/those girls)

Adding Emphasis

To specify "this" or "that" more clearly, add "-ci" (here) or "-là" (there) after the noun:

• Ce livre-ci (this book here)
• Cette voiture-là (that car there)

Examples in Context

• J'aime beaucoup ce restaurant. (I really like this restaurant.)
• Cette idée est brillante ! (This idea is brilliant!)
• Ces chaussures sont trop petites. (These shoes are too small.)
• Prenez ce train-ci, pas celui-là. (Take this train here, not that one there.)

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