How to Use French Demonstrative Adjectives: Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces

Vocalyra teaching team · Last updated: October 5, 2026

In French, demonstrative adjectives are the words you use to point out a specific noun, just like 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' in English. The four forms are ce, cet, cette, and ces. Choosing the right one is simple once you know the rules of gender and number agreement.

What Are Demonstrative Adjectives?

A demonstrative adjective (un adjectif démonstratif) points to a specific person, animal, or thing. It's an adjective, which means it always comes directly before a noun and must agree with that noun's gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). Unlike English, French does not distinguish between 'this' and 'that' with a single word; the context or an added suffix usually makes it clear.

The Four Forms: Ce, Cet, Cette, and Ces

Your choice depends entirely on the noun that follows. Is it masculine or feminine? Singular or plural? Here is a simple table to show which form to use.

Forms of French Demonstrative Adjectives
	Singular	Plural
Masculine	ce (or cet)	ces
Feminine	cette	ces

Notice that the plural form, ces, is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. Here are some basic examples:

ce livre (this/that book)
cette voiture (this/that car)
ces stylos (these/those pens)
ces maisons (these/those houses)

The Special Case: cet for Masculine Nouns

For pronunciation, the masculine singular form ce changes to cet when it comes before a noun that starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a mute 'h'. This change allows the words to flow together smoothly, avoiding a difficult vowel clash. The meaning of cet is exactly the same as ce.

cet arbre (this/that tree)
cet homme (this/that man)
cet appartement (this/that apartment)
cet oiseau (this/that bird)

However, if the 'h' is an aspirated 'h' (h aspiré), it acts like a consonant, and you must use ce. You cannot make a liaison with an aspirated 'h'. The word héros (hero) is a classic example.

Correct: ce héros (this/that hero)
Incorrect: cet héros

There is no list of rules for knowing which 'h' is mute and which is aspirated. It's something you learn with each new word. Most 'h's are mute, but common words with an aspirated 'h' include héros, haricots (beans), and hibou (owl).

Adding -ci and -là for Emphasis and Contrast

To specify 'this one here' versus 'that one there', you can add the suffixes -ci (from ici, here) or -là (there) to the noun. Attach the suffix with a hyphen.

Je préfère ce pantalon-ci. (I prefer this pair of pants here.)
Non, je veux cette chaise-là. (No, I want that chair there.)
Ces livres-ci sont intéressants, mais ces livres-là sont ennuyeux. (These books here are interesting, but those books there are boring.)

In everyday conversation, -là is often used without any contrast, simply to add a little emphasis or to refer to something you were just talking about. It does not always mean something is physically far away.

J'adore cette chanson-là! (I love that song!)

Common Time Expressions

Demonstrative adjectives are essential for talking about time. You will hear and use these expressions constantly in daily life.

ce matin (this morning)
cet après-midi (this afternoon)
ce soir (this evening/tonight)
cette semaine (this week)
ce mois-ci (this month)
cette année (this year)
ces jours-ci (these days)

Adjectives vs. Pronouns: A Quick Look

It is important not to confuse demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces) with demonstrative pronouns (celui, celle, ceux, celles). Adjectives always have a noun right after them. Pronouns stand alone, replacing a noun that has already been mentioned.

Adjective vs. Pronoun Examples
Type	Example	Meaning
Adjective	J'aime cette voiture.	I like this car.
Pronoun	J'aime celle de Paul.	I like Paul's one.
Adjective	Regarde ces chaussures.	Look at these shoes.
Pronoun	Je préfère celles-ci.	I prefer these ones.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

**Using ce before a vowel:** A very common mistake is forgetting to switch to cet. Incorrect: *ce homme*. Correct: cet homme. Remember this is for masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or mute 'h'.
**Mixing up gender:** French requires you to know the noun's gender. Incorrect: *cette livre* or *ce chaise*. Correct: ce livre (le livre is masculine), cette chaise (la chaise is feminine).
**Confusing ces with ses:** ces is the demonstrative 'these/those' (ces livres means 'these books'). ses is the possessive 'his/her' (ses livres means 'his/her books'). They sound identical, so context is key.
**Confusing ce (adjective), ce (pronoun), and ça:** The word ce appears in different structures. Ce garçon (This boy) uses the adjective. C'est un garçon (He is/It is a boy) uses ce as a pronoun with the verb être. When 'this' or 'that' is the subject or object of a sentence on its own, use the pronoun ça or cela. Example: J'aime ça. (I like that.)

Quick self-check

How would you say 'this hotel' and 'this bean' in French? Why are they different?
Show answer
cet hôtel and ce haricot. Hôtel starts with a mute 'h', so it requires cet. Haricot starts with an aspirated 'h', which acts like a consonant, so we use ce.
You want to buy some apples and point to a specific pile. How do you say 'I'll take these apples'?
Show answer
Je prends ces pommes. Pommes is plural (and feminine, though that doesn't matter for the plural), so we use ces.
What's the difference in meaning between cette robe and celle-là?
Show answer
cette robe means 'this/that dress'. Cette is a demonstrative adjective that must be followed by its noun, robe. celle-là means 'that one'. Celle is a demonstrative pronoun that replaces a noun.
How do you say 'I saw that film this evening'?
Show answer
J'ai vu ce film ce soir. You use ce for both film (masculine singular) and soir (masculine singular).

Not sure where you stand? The free Vocalyra level test gives you a CEFR estimate and a recommended starting point.