Question 1

Why do we use ce instead of cette, since fromage ends in an "e"?

Accepted Answer

You might expect fromage to be feminine because it ends in an "-e", but it is actually an exception—it is a masculine word. Because it is masculine and singular, we must use the masculine demonstrative adjective ce ("this" or "that"). If the noun were feminine, we would use cette.

Question 2

How do I know if ce means "this" or "that" in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

French uses the same demonstrative adjectives (ce, cette, and ces) for both "this" and "that". Usually, the context makes it obvious. If you ever need to specifically emphasize "this cheese right here" versus "that cheese over there", you can attach -ci or -là to the end of the noun: ce fromage-ci (this cheese) or ce fromage-là (that cheese).

Question 3

Why does the sentence use cher instead of chère?

Accepted Answer

In French, adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. Since fromage is masculine, we use the masculine form cher. If we were describing a feminine noun, like a car (une voiture), we would use the feminine form: cette voiture est très chère.

Question 4

Can the word cher mean anything else besides "expensive"?

Accepted Answer

Yes! When talking about prices, cher means "expensive". But it also means "dear". If you were writing a letter to a male friend, you would use it as a greeting, such as Cher Paul (Dear Paul).

Ce fromage est très cher.

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