Cette in French. Possessive adjectives and demonstrative adjectives in French

Demonstrative adjectives in French ( adjectifs démonstratifs) easy to remember because there are only four words.

What do demonstrative adjectives look like?

Demonstrative adjectives in French are placed before and indicate the gender or number of the noun. And they look like this: Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces.

• Ce– this: defines a masculine noun in the singular;
• Set– this: indicates a masculine singular noun if it begins with a vowel or a silent “h”;
• Cette– this: defines a feminine noun in the singular;
• Ces– these: indicates a masculine or feminine plural noun.

Please note that the form of the demonstrative adjective is masculine Set used before a noun that begins with a vowel sound or a silent “h”. Before a noun that begins with a consonant or "h" aspirative, the form is used Ce.

To make it clearer and clearer for you, let's look at how we use demonstrative adjectives together with nouns:

• Ce livre – this book (masculine, before a consonant);
• Ce héro – this hero (masculine before the aspirated “h”);
• Cet ouvrier - this worker (masculine before the vowel);
• Cet homme – this person (masculine before the silent “h”);
• Cette femme – this woman (feminine before a consonant);
• Cette histoire – this story (feminine before the silent “h”);
• Cette école – this school (feminine before the vowel);
• Ces livres – these books (plural before the vowel);
• Ces héros – these heroes (plural before the aspirated “h”);
• Ces femmes – these women (plural before the consonant);
• Ces histoires – these stories (plural before the silent “h”).

Pay attention to the use of demonstrative adjectives in the example of a short text:

J'aime beaucoup et étudiant. C'est lui qui a écrit ces articles et a fait tous ces exercises. C'est lui qui a aidé tous ces collègues. Ce travail est fait aussi par lui. Cette revue est corrigée par mon bon étudiant. Son activité est remarquable. - IVeryI lovethisstudent. It was he who wrote these articles and performed all these exercises. It was he who helped all his colleagues. This work was also done by him. This journal has been corrected by my good student. His work is remarkable.

Location of demonstrative adjectives

Adjectifs démonstratifs are located next to the nouns. Demonstrative adjectives are always placed before the nouns they qualify or before adjectives that precede nouns. For example:

• Ce bon élève - this good student

In addition, demonstrative adjectives can be strengthened by particles ci And là, which are placed after a hyphenated noun. Note:

• Cet arbre-ci is a tree
• Cette semaine-ci – this week

Particles ci And là as if they accentuate, emphasize the meaning of the word, which is why it acquires an enhanced connotation: exactly this tree, exactly this week.

It is important not to confuse

Try not to confuse demonstrative adjectives with the phrase “C’est”.

The expression “C’est” consists of two words: the demonstrative pronoun ce (this) + the linking verb être (est) – “there is”. In this situation, the demonstrative pronoun ce (this) is shortened to “c’” because it occurs with a vowel; and the verb être in this case is not translated into Russian.

All together, “C’est” is translated into Russian as “This.” It is followed by an indication of the person or thing being spoken about. The noun that denotes this object is used with the indefinite article. This phrase also has a plural form, Ce sont, which is used before indicating several persons or objects. In this turn, the verb “est” is already a predicate. And in the end we get:

• C'est une table - This is a table;
• C’est Michel, mon ami - This is Michel, my friend;
• Ce sont mes amis - These are my friends.

Compare: C'est une table. Cette table est ronde. - It is a table. This table is round.

Russian word "This" can be translated into French in two ways: using demonstrative adjectives and with the help of turnover "C'est". The main thing is not to confuse.

It is also important not to confuse demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns (Ce, Celui, Celle, Ceux, Celles, etc.). The difference in their use is that demonstrative pronouns replace nouns and are used without them. While demonstrative adjectives always appear before the noun they are modifying, this means that the noun is not removed from the sentence.

Memory exercise

Do a little exercise. In the following nouns, replace the article with the appropriate forms of the demonstrative adjective Ce, Cet, Cette, Ces:

Le livre, la table, l'étudiant, le mur, la chaise, les cahiers, les héros, l'histoire, la revue, le journal, la chanson, le stylo, l'encrier, le professeur, la serviette, les enfants , les exercises, la maison, la joie.

Now replace the periods with a suitable demonstrative adjective in the following sentences:

1…table est ronde. 2…livres sont intéressants. 3…ville est grande. 4…étudiants sont ici. 5…journal me plaît beaucoup. 6...salle d'études est claire. 7...chapeau est blanc. 8… murs sont gris. 9…serviette est sur la table. 10…étudiant est très sérieux.

Here they are, funny and interesting, demonstrative adjectives in French!

1. Underline the demonstrative adjectives in the text. Determine their gender and number.
Il y a en ce moment plus de 2000 objets qui tournent autour de la terre. La plus grande partie de ces objets ne sont plus intéressants pour la science.

2. Determine the gender and number of demonstrative adjectives.
1. Je sais ce poème par cœur.
2. Frédéric te telephonera cet après-midi.
3. Vous avez vu ces films?
4. Cette route mene à la rivière.
5. Mange ces prunes!
6. Il fait froid cet hiver.
7. Il se moque de ces fantaisies.
8. Cette industry est bien développée.
9. J'ai visité ces capitales.
10. J'admire ces poissons rouges.
3. Put phrases with demonstrative adjectives in the singular.
1. Regardons ces jeux televisés!
2. Je me souviens de ces années.
3. Je réfléchis à ces conseils.
4. On n'achète pas ces robes démodées.
5. Vous recevrez bientôt ces lettres.
6. Avez-vous bien compris ces explanations?
7. Les adolescents aim ces films.
8. Vous n'allez pas abattre ces arbres!
9. Je t'aiderai pour ces traductions.
10. Remplissez ces formulaires.
11. Connais-tu ces hommes?
12. Vous parlez de ces entreprises?
13. Je n'ai pas encore appris ces vers.
14. Il faut examiner ces faits.
15. On va remplacer ces appareils.
4. Insert the appropriate adjective.
1. .... hiver est assez froid.
2. Tu as vu.... émission televisée?
3 .... entourage me plaît.
4 .... stage commence demain.
5 .... dictées sont difficiles.
6 .... appartement n’est pas grand.
7 .... rédactions sont à refaire.
8. Je suis étonné de.... addition.
9 .... rire me fait peur.
10. On vient de reconstruire....autoroute.
11. .... ascenseur fonctionne bien.
12 .... entreprise produit des machines agricoles.
13 .... étrangers viennent d’arriver à Moscow.
14 .... été n’est pas chaud.
15 .... endroit est pittoresque.
16. La voiture a déjà consommé.... essence.
17 .... argent ne suffut pas pour acheter .... appareil.
18. Je ne vois nulle part.... homme.
5. Insert an article or demonstrative adjective if necessary.
Au tribunal, le juge dit au voleur:
- Vous avez tort de nier, ....deux personnes vous ont vu en train de voler.
-Et alors, .... monsieur.... Juge? Moi, je peux vous amener.... milliers de.... personnes qui ne m’ont pas vu!

6. Insert an article or demonstrative adjective if necessary.
.... crâne de .... plus vieil Européen connu a été découvert en .... France, dans .... Pyrénées. C'est .... crâne de .... homme qui vivait il y a 200 000 ans. .... crâne a été trouvé, entouré de .... restes de .... animaux et de .... quelques outils, à 20 km à .... nord-ouest de .... Perpignan. .... professeur Henry de Lumley, qui a trouvé .... crâne, faisait .... recherches depuis sept ans à .... endroit.
7. Insert, if necessary, an article or a demonstrative adjective.
.... touriste se promène dans .... parc de .... ville de .... Ecosse. Il s’arrête devant ....écriteau où est inscrit: «Il est interdit de marcher sur.... pelouses. Tout contrevenant sera passible de .... amende d’un shilling.”

C'est curieux, dit.... touriste à.... gardien. Si j'ai bonne mémoire, .... an dernier .... montant de .... amende était d'une livre.

Exact, .... monsieur. Mais vous comprenez, à .... tarif-là personne ne marchait sur.... pelouses!

8. Translate.
1. Have you seen these films?
2. I really like this landscape.
3. Who wrote this article?
4. Please give us this magazine.
5. We don’t remember these years.
6. - Do you want to buy these brochures?
- No, those brochures.
7. These texts seem very difficult to me.
We will read those texts.
8. - This idea is very interesting.
- Indeed?
9. -Have you seen these people?
- Not yet.
10. - Did you receive this telegram yesterday?
- Not today.

Demonstrative adjectives have the following forms:

in the singular:

ce (masculine)

cette (feminine)

cet (before vowel)

plural: ces

Ce livre; set amie; cette nuit; ces livres.

20. Possessive adjectives

They are used before a noun and agree with it in gender and number (i.e. it is put in the same gender and number as the word that follows it!), as well as in person and number with the owner of the object that is denoted by the given noun.

Before a feminine noun or adjective beginning with a vowel or silent h, the masculine form is used mon, ton, son: mon amie - my friend.

mon – male, ma – female (my, my, mine)

ton – male ta – female (yours, yours, yours)

son – male sa – female (his her)

ses (his, her)

21. Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns are divided into verbs (unstressed) and independent pronouns (stressed).

In French, only verbal personal pronouns have retained some residual forms of declension: they are divided into:

1) subject pronouns,

2) pronouns are direct objects,

3) pronouns are indirect objects.

The first usually correspond in Russian to personal pronouns in the nominative case. They are function words that indicate the person of the verb:

Je dessine. I'm drawing.

The second ones correspond to pronouns in the accusative case:

George le dessine. Georges draws him.

Still others correspond to pronouns in the dative case:

Marie te donne mes livres. Maria gives you my books.

Elle lui montre sa collection. She shows him her collection.

Table of verb personal pronouns

1. As the table shows, the pronouns nous and vous have the same forms in all their functions.

2. Pronouns-direct objects me, te, le, la take the form m", t", l" before vowels and h silent:

Je l"ai vu(e) hier. I saw him (her) yesterday

Not only the definite article, but also demonstrative adjectives can indicate specific objects and objects in speech. There are only four of them in French. Demonstrative adjectives are placed before nouns and agree with them in gender and number.

Rules for using demonstrative adjectives

There are only four demonstrative adjectives in French, namely:

Let's look at a few examples. Please note that the gender of nouns in French and Russian is not the same:
Ce livre (m.r.)- this book
Cet arbre (m.r.)- this is a tree
Cette maison (female)- this house
Ces femmes (plural)- these women
Ces hommes (pl.. w.)- these men

Don't be confused! Before a masculine singular noun that begins with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u,h), used CET.

Let us remind you that "h" There are two types: silent and aspirated, and the aspirated may also not be pronounced, but is still considered a consonant. Words with mute "h" you need to remember, the aspirate in dictionaries is indicated by the icon *.

Another frequently used construction is "C'est". It consists precisely of "ce", which is reduced to one letter and a verb "etre". This construction is translated into Russian as "This" or not translated at all. Used "c'est" to indicate a person or thing, for example: C'est mon ami.- This is my friend.

Used to refer to multiple objects or people “ce sont”: Ce sont mes parents.- These are my parents.

As you can see, the difference in the use of a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative construction "c'est" lies in the order of words and the structure of the sentences themselves: after the demonstrative adjective there is a noun, without articles. Design "c'est" consists of a subject and a predicate, and only then comes a noun, before which either an article or another indicator will be used. For example:

Lesson assignments

Exercise 1. Enter the correct demonstrative adjective.
1. … histoire 2. … garçon 3. … tableaux 4. … journaux 5. … nuit 6. … appartement 7. … magasin 8. … escaliers 9. … costume 10. … chapeau

Exercise 2. Translate into French.
1. This is your brother. 2. These are my students. 3. This girl is very beautiful. 4. This is his teacher. 5. This bread is stale. 6. These are your keys. 7. This is his girlfriend. 8. This is my bag.

Answer 1.
1. cette 2. ce 3. cette 4. ces 5. cette 6. cette 7. ce 8. ces 9. ce 10. cette

Answer 2.
1. C'est ton frère. 2. C'est mes étudiants. 3. Cette fille est très belle. 4. C'est son maître. 5. Ce pain est rassis. 6. Ce sont vos clefs. 7. C'est son amie. 8. C'est mon sac.