elazarmelchieherzog

[calm quiver]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[small siren]

ça is "that" as a pronoun - It's like that/C'est comme ça

Now, ce/cet/cette are the variation of the word 'this' and ces 'these'

now why are there different 'this's? it corrisponds to the noun we are using

ce - masucline (ce livre - this book)
cet - masculine + vowel/ silent h (cet oiseau/cet homme)
cette - feminine (cette école)

however, with ces/these gender does not matter

ces livres, ces oiseaux, ces écoles

hope this helps, as always keep an eye out in case natives/advancés have more to add!

[pure owl]

Ah, thank you very much!

[small siren]

de rien, je t'en prie :)

[misty verge]

Just a bit of note for « ce/cet/cette/ces » : in English, we distinguish between 'this/that' but in French the distinction is less important so something like « cette école » can either mean 'this or that school', depending on the context.

If the distinction is important, however, we can add suffixes -ci (this) or -là (that) to the end of the noun. « Je vais à cette école-là, pas cette école-ci (I'm going to that school not this school) »

[pure owl]

Much thanks for that too, very useful tips