Ces chaussures sont marron.

Breakdown of Ces chaussures sont marron.

ce
this (before a noun)
la chaussure
the shoe
marron
brown

Questions & Answers about Ces chaussures sont marron.

Why isn't there an "s" at the end of marron since chaussures is plural?
In French, color adjectives that are based on real-world objects (like marron, which means chestnut, or orange) are invariable. This means they never change their spelling to match the gender or number of the noun. So, even though chaussures is plural, marron does not get an "s".
Why do we use ces here?
Ces is the plural demonstrative adjective, meaning "these" or "those". Because chaussures (shoes) is a plural noun, we must use ces. If you were pointing out a single shoe, you would use the feminine singular form: cette chaussure.
How would I use a possessive pronoun to reply, "Mine are black"?
To say "mine" without repeating the word for shoes, you use a possessive pronoun. Because chaussures is feminine and plural, you need the feminine plural form: les miennes. Your reply would be: Les miennes sont noires. (Notice that standard colors like noir do take an "s" in the plural, unlike marron!)
Do I pronounce the "s" at the end of ces here?
No, the "s" in ces is completely silent here because the following word, chaussures, starts with a consonant sound. You only make a liaison (pronouncing the "s" as a "z" sound) if the next word starts with a vowel or a silent "h".

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