Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson covers French demonstrative adjectives: ce, cet, cette, ces. Learn to use ce and cet before masculine nouns (ce soir, cet homme), cette for feminine (cette journée), and ces for plurals (ces femmes).
  1. Demonstrative adjectives are used to indicate a specific element in the context.
 Singulier  (Singular)Pluriel (Plural)
Masculin (Masculine)Cet homme / Ce soir  (This man / this evening )Ces hommes  (These men )
Féminin (Feminine)Cette journée (This day)Ces femmes (These women)

Exceptions!

  1. "Ce" is used before a consonant or an aspirated h, whereas "cet" is used before a vowel or a mute h. Examples: "ce copain", "cet ami".

Exercise 1: Les adjectifs démonstratifs : "Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

ces, Cet, Cette, Ce, Ces, cette

1.
... année ils veulent un petit frère.
(This year they want a little brother.)
2.
... âge est difficile pour un enfant.
(This age is difficult for a child.)
3.
... matin je prépare ma journée.
(This morning I am preparing my day.)
4.
... journées d'été sont longues.
(These summer days are long.)
5.
... habitant parle français.
(This inhabitant speaks French.)
6.
... week-end nous organisons nos vacances d'été.
(This weekend we are organising our summer holidays.)
7.
On dorme ensemble ... nuit ?
(Are we sleeping together tonight?)
8.
Elle aime faire ... voyages.
(She likes to make these trips.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je planifie ma réunion pour ___ soir.

(I am planning my meeting for ___ tonight.)

2. ___ semaine, je travaille tous les jours.

(___ week, I work every day.)

3. Je visite mes amis ___ dimanche.

(I visit my friends ___ Sunday.)

4. J'organise une sortie ___ après-midi.

(I am organizing an outing ___ afternoon.)

5. Je travaille beaucoup ___ jours-ci.

(I work a lot ___ days.)

6. ___ jeudi, je vois un film au cinéma.

(___ Thursday, I am watching a movie at the cinema.)

Demonstrative Adjectives in French: Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces

This lesson covers the French demonstrative adjectives that are essential to clearly point out or specify nouns in conversation and writing. Demonstrative adjectives are words that accompany a noun to designate it precisely or locate it within a context.

Overview of Demonstrative Adjectives

In French, demonstrative adjectives agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify. The primary demonstrative adjectives studied here are ce, cet, cette, and ces.

Singular Forms

  • Ce is used before masculine singular nouns beginning with a consonant or aspirated h.
    Examples: ce soir, ce copain
  • Cet is used before masculine singular nouns beginning with a vowel or a mute h.
    Examples: cet homme, cet ami, cet après-midi
  • Cette is used before all feminine singular nouns, regardless of the first letter.
    Example: cette journée

Plural Form

Ces is used for all plural nouns, masculine or feminine.
Examples: ces hommes, ces femmes, ces jours-ci

Function of Demonstrative Adjectives

These adjectives are used to point to a specific object or person that is understood in the context, making the communication clear and precise.

Comparison with English

Unlike English, which uses "this," "that," "these," and "those," French demonstrative adjectives depend on both gender and number of the noun. For example, English does not differentiate between masculine and feminine, but French does:

  • This man = cet homme (masculine singular before vowel sound)
  • This woman = cette femme (feminine singular)
  • These men/women = ces hommes/femmes (plural for both genders)

Useful Expressions

  • Ce soir – this evening
  • Cette semaine – this week
  • Ces jours-ci – these days
  • Cet après-midi – this afternoon
  • Ce dimanche – this Sunday

Remember, to choose between ce and cet, focus on whether the masculine noun starts with a vowel or mute h (cet) versus a consonant or aspirated h (ce).

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Donia Ben Salem

Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 02:22