Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns

Click *HERE* for Deomonstrative Exercise

Definate Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns

        Adjectives      Pronouns
ce livre     -->
celui
cet enfant   -->
celui

cette fleur -->
celle

ces livres  -->
ceux

ces fleurs  -->
celles

 

• Demonstratives point out: this, that, these, those. They agree in number and gender with the noun.

• Both ce  and cet are masculine singular. Use cet  before masculine words beginning with a vowel or the letter "h". [cet autobus, cet éléphant, cet hôpital, cet homme ]  Use ce   elsewhere.

• If a word can be either masculine or feminine, choose the adjective or pronoun for the gender you need:  

cet enfant (celui ) / cette enfant (celle) .

• The pronoun can never stand alone. It must always combine with one, and only one, of the following:

                    (1) -ci, -là  ("this one", "that one"; you don't need a separate word for "one")
                    Celui-ci est bon, mais celle-là est mauvaise. ("This one is good...")

celui  +  (2) relative pronoun (qui, que, dont [de + rel.pro.])
              Ceux qui sont bons coûtent cher. ("The ones that are good are exensive.")         

              (3) de + [someone], to show possession
              Celle de mon frère est vieille. ("My brother's is old.")

Ceux du prof sont trop difficiles. (The teachers are too hard.)

 

Indefinate Demonstrative Pronouns

• For this, that  used in a general sense with no knowledge of number and gender use:

ceci, cela (ça in casual, spoken language)


Cela n'est pas permis. ("That is not permitted." That stands for a whole concept.)

J'aime ceci, mais pas cela.


Ne fais pas ça!


Michel viendra demain. Cela me fait plaisir.

 

Click *HERE* for Deomonstrative Exercise

Return to Grammar Index.