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Ce, cet, cette or ces? Point out the right thing in French

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose ce, cet, cette and ces with a four-form sheet, furniture picture cards and questions on vowels, adjectives and this-versus-that contrasts.

In short

Use ce or cet for a masculine singular noun, cette for a feminine singular noun and ces for any plural. Each can mean “this/that” or “these/those”; add -ci or -là to the noun when you want an explicit contrast.

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Ce, cet, cette, ces · fiche

1 · Ce: masculine singular

Use ce directly before a consonant sound. The noun’s gender stays masculine even when you are pointing to something owned by a woman.

Ce canapé est confortable.This sofa is comfortable.

Ce placard est à Léa.That cupboard belongs to Léa.

2 · Cet: masculine before a vowel or mute h

Use cet directly before a vowel or mute h. Look at the next word: an adjective between the demonstrative and noun can change the choice. An aspirated h blocks this change: ce héros. Learn that noun phrase as a unit.

Cet appartement est lumineux.This flat is bright.

Ce grand appartement est lumineux.This large flat is bright.

Cet hôtel est calme.This hotel is quiet.

3 · Cette: feminine singular

Keep cette before a vowel too. Cet and cette sound alike, but their spellings follow gender. Neither becomes c’ before a noun.

Cette table est ronde.This table is round.

Cette armoire est ancienne.This wardrobe is old.

4 · Ces: every plural

Both masculine and feminine plural nouns take ces. Keep the noun’s plural ending in writing.

Ces lits sont petits.These beds are small.

Ces tables sont rondes.These tables are round.

5 · This one here, that one there

Attach -ci and -là to the noun with hyphens. Without these endings, the situation supplies the distance or contrast.

Je préfère ce canapé-ci à ce canapé-là.I prefer this sofa here to that sofa there.

When do you use ce, cet, cette or ces?

Name each item with its demonstrative. Then switch to test mode and recover the whole phrase. Cette table points out a table; une table introduces one. The demonstrative takes the article’s place: use cette table, with no extra la.

Four things to point out

Question 1No account needed
Choose the form for masculine hôtel, with mute h.___ hôtel est près de la gare.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Cet. Hôtel is masculine and begins with mute h, so choose cet.

Question 2No account needed
Choose the form for feminine adresse.Je note ___ adresse.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

cette. Feminine singular adresse takes cette, even before a vowel.

Question 3No account needed
Look at the word immediately after the gap.___ grand appartement est libre.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Ce. Grand begins with a consonant sound; masculine singular therefore takes ce.

Question 4No account needed
Point to several feminine chairs.___ chaises sont confortables.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Ces. Plural chaises takes ces. The plural form is the same for both genders.

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