Demonstrative adjectives 1 Definitions Demonstratives adjectives are
adjectives
used to point out a particular
thing or things:
Cette voiture est italienne
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This car is Italian
2 Use 2.1 Forms Demonstratives adjectives have the following forms:
Table 44.2.1a: Demonstrative adjectives
Masc sing Fem sing Plural before consonant ce cette ces before vowel cet cette ces
Note
The word cettes does not exist in French.
Ce musée est fermé le mardi
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This museum is closed on Tuesdays
J'ai lu presque tous les livres de cet auteur
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I've read almost all this author's books
Cette région est très connue
pour son vin
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This region is very well known for its wine
Ces oiseaux se font de plus
en plus rares
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These birds are becoming more and more rare
Peux-tu ouvrir ce bocal, s’il te plaît?
Can you open this jar, please?
Je ne prends jamais cet ascenseur.
I never take this lift.
Comment est-ce qu’on appelle cette fleur?
What’s this flower called?
Il y a des soldes dans les magasins. Ces soldes durent jusqu’à vendredi.
There are sales on in the shops. These sales are on until Friday.
On voit souvent cet écrivain à la télévision.
This writer is often seen on the television.
2.2 Before masculine words beginning with h
Cet is used with
masculine
nouns
beginning with an
unaspirated
h :
Cet hiver nous partons en Australie
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This winter we're going to Australia
Laure et Thomas aiment le ski: cet hiver je les accompagnerai à la montagne.
Laure and Thomas like skiing: this winter I’m going with them into the mountains.
Où as-tu acheté cet habit?
Where did you buy this outfit?
A chaque fois que nous venons à Paris nous descendons dans cet hôtel.
Every time we come to Paris we stay at this hotel.
Je pêche avec cet hameçon.
I fish with this hook.
Tu as vu cet homme? C’est un voleur.
Have you seen this man? He’s a thief.
But ce is used with masculine
nouns beginning with an
aspirated
h :
Nous essayons de mieux comprendre ce handicap
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We're trying to get a better understanding of this handicap
J’ai installé ce hamac dehors pour faire la sieste.
I put up this hammock outside for having a siesta.
Mes parents m’ont acheté ce hamster pour mon anniversaire.
My parents bought me this hamster for my birthday.
Ce hautbois appartenait à mon grand-père.
This oboe belonged to my grandfather.
Marie s’est cassé la jambe: ce handicap l’empêche de faire du sport.
Marie has broken her leg: this handicap prevents her from doing sport.
Nous habitons dans ce hameau depuis plus de vingt ans.
We’ve lived in this hamlet for more than twenty years.
2.3 Creating emphasis
In order to emphasize a
noun
, -ci is added to the end of the
noun
to convey the idea of this , and -là
is added to the end of the noun to convey the idea of that :
C'est par cette porte-ci
et non cette porte-là
qu'on est entrés
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We entered by this door (here) and not by that door (there)
L’été 1995? Cet été-là nous sommes allés en Espagne.
Summer 1995? That summer we went to Spain.
Je pense qu’à ce moment-là vous auriez dû appeler la police.
I think that at that moment you should have called the police.
Ces pommes-ci sont meilleur marché que celles-là.
These apples are cheaper than those ones.
Cette année-là a vraiment été mauvaise pour les récoltes.
That year was a really bad one for the harvest.
Je ne dis rien cette fois-ci, mais évitez que cela se reproduise.
I’m not saying anything this time, but make sure that this doesn’t happen again.
2.4 Use before each noun
Unlike in English, demonstrative adjectives normally come before each
noun
they apply to:
A qui sont ces chapeaux, ces
pardessus et ces parapluies?
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Whose are these hats, overcoats and umbrellas?
