Students learning demonstrative adjectives in a French classroom with cultural elements.
In CBSE 10th French Lesson 1, Retrouvons nos amis, students learn how to describe objects, people, and places using adjectifs démonstratifs (demonstrative adjectives). These adjectives help specify which object or person we are referring to, just like in English when we say “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”
In this blog, we will:
✔ Explain the concept of demonstrative adjectives in French.
✔ Provide examples and answers from Page 8, Activity III of your textbook.
✔ Share common mistakes and tips to avoid them.
Demonstrative adjectives in French are used to point out a specific noun. They must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify.
| French Adjective | English Equivalent | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Ce | This/That | Masculine singular nouns (before consonants) |
| Cet | This/That | Masculine singular nouns (before vowels or silent ‘h’) |
| Cette | This/That | Feminine singular nouns |
| Ces | These/Those | Plural nouns (both masculine & feminine) |
🔹 Examples:
✔ Ce livre est intéressant. → This book is interesting.
✔ Cet hôtel est magnifique. → This hotel is magnificent.
✔ Cette robe est jolie. → This dress is pretty.
✔ Ces étudiants sont intelligents. → These students are intelligent.
📌 Fill in the blanks with the correct demonstrative adjective:
« Voilà une vue du haut de la tour Montparnasse: Regardez ces magasins !
Here is a view from the top of Montparnasse Tower: Look at these stores!
Regardez ce monde !
Look at this crowd!
Regardez cette tour ! C’est la tour Eiffel.
Look at this tower! It’s the Eiffel Tower.
Regardez cette grande cathédrale ! C’est Notre Dame de Paris.
Look at this grand cathedral! It’s Notre Dame of Paris.
Et cet immeuble-là, c’est le magasin FNAC.
And that building over there is the FNAC store.
📌 More Practice:
🔹 Question: Nous voilà devant le musée. Entrons par __________ entrée ! (We are in front of the museum. Let’s enter through this entrance!)
✔ Answer: cette
🔹 Question: Observez __________ tableaux ! (Observe these paintings!)
✔ Answer: ces
🔴 Mistake 1: Using “ce” instead of “cet” before a vowel.
❌ Ce hôtel est beau.
✅ Cet hôtel est beau. (Hotel starts with a vowel, so we use “cet.”)
🔴 Mistake 2: Forgetting that “ces” is used for both masculine and feminine plurals.
❌ Ces garçons et cette filles sont gentils.
✅ Ces garçons et ces filles sont gentils. (Plural nouns always take “ces.”)
✔ Always check the gender of the noun before choosing the adjective.
✔ Remember: “Cet” is only for masculine singular words starting with a vowel.
✔ For plural words, “Ces” is used for both masculine and feminine nouns.
✔ Practice using demonstrative adjectives in sentences to describe real-life objects.
French demonstrative adjectives are essential for describing and identifying specific objects. By practicing with examples from CBSE 10th French Lesson 1 (Retrouvons nos amis), you can strengthen your grammar and communication skills.
👉 Next Step: Want to master all grammar topics from Lesson 1?
📖 Check out our Complete Guide Here
