Everything you need to know about the french demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

1. THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE
ADJECTIVES AND
PRONOUNS

2. This learning guide is divided into different
parts with a quick recap after each topic.
1)
WHAT IS THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
2)
HOW TO FORM DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES?
3)
WHAT IS THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN?
4)
HOW TO FORM DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS?

3. 1. WHAT IS THE FRENCH
DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE?
ADJECTIVE  are words that describe or give further information about a
noun.
DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE  are used to point out something and
indicate a specific noun. In English, these are the words
SAMPLE  this gum, that troll, these jars, those unicorns.
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4. 2. HOW TO FORM DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES?
In French, the word ‘ce’ covers the entire demonstrative adjectives. This
will, however, change its form depending on the kind of noun it is referring
to.
Ce (or cet) for singular masculine (which means ‘this’ in English).
Cette for singular feminine (which means ‘that’ in English).
Ces is used for plural masculine and feminine (which means ‘these’ and
‘those’ in English).
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5. Things to be remember on this topic:
1. There’s no “cettes”
2. Ce always comes BEFORE the noun it is referring to, no matter what its
form is.
3. -ci or –la can be added at the end of the noun.
4. -ci points out the item’s nearness to the speaker.
5. -là to mean that that it is far from him
Examples:
Prends cette valise-ci. (Take this case.)
Est-ce que tu reconnais cette personne-là? (Do you recognize that person?)
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6. 3. WHAT IS THE FRENCH
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN?
The function of a pronoun is to replace the noun that it is referring to.
Sample for demontrative pronouns :
• This one, that one(s), these, those.
• That was so much fun!
• This is what I’ve been waiting for all my life!
• These are awesome!
French demonstrative pronouns work the same way, except that they have to
agree with the nouns they’re replacing, and a different set of words are used
and not the same ones as the demonstrative adjectives.
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7. 2. HOW TO FORM
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS?
1. Use word ce
Ce is used for:
• To identify a person or thing, either in a statement or with a question
word. (Qui est-ce? Who is it? Ce sont eux. That’s them.)
• To go with an adjective that refers to an idea or statement that cannot be
classified as masculine or feminine. (C’est dangereux! That’s dangerous!)
• To put an emphasis on the statement. (Ce sont les enfants qui ont fait le
gâteau. It was the children who made the cake.)
2.
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Use word cela, ça, and ceci
Cela and ça is used to express a statement, an idea, or an object.
Ça is the less formal used in everyday speech.
Ceci is used to refer to something that hasn’t been previously
mentioned, or to show someone a certain thing.
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8. 2. HOW TO FORM
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS?
3. Use word celui, celle, ceux, celles
celui- masculine singular
celle- feminine singular
ceux – masculine plural
celles – feminine plural
Celui is used in the following cases:
•Before qui, que, or dont. (Celui dont je t’ai parlé. The one I told you about.)
•Before prepositions like à, dans, etc. (Celui proche de la porte. The one
near the door.)
•With de to show that it belongs to someone.
•With the endings -ci and -là to indicate how far something is from you. Like
the demonstrative adjectives, -ci is added to mean it is closer, -là if it is
farther. (celui-ci ou celui-là? This one or that one?)
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9. A quick recap of this topic:
1. Demonstrative adjectives are used to point out
something and indicate a specific noun. In English,
these are the words: this, that, these, and those. In
French, we use ce and its different forms
namely ce (or cet), cette, and ces.
2. Demonstrative pronouns take the place of a noun.
These are the words ce, cela, ça, and ceci, and celui.
3. The other forms of celui are celle, ceux, and celles.
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