Learn French: J'aime ceci : contester la norme. - I like this: contesting the norm.

J'aime ceci : contester la norme.

I like this: contesting the norm.

Breakdown of J'aime ceci : contester la norme.

Questions & Answers about J'aime ceci : contester la norme.

Why use ceci here instead of cela or ça?

Ceci (this) is used to introduce an idea that is about to follow—in this case, contester la norme. If you were referring back to a concept that had already been mentioned, you would use cela or ça (that).

The English translation says "contesting". Why does the French use the infinitive contester instead of a present participle?

In French, when a verb is treated as a noun or a general concept, it stays in the infinitive. English often uses the "-ing" form (gerund) for this, but French restricts its "-ing" equivalent (the present participle ending in -ant) mainly to simultaneous actions, meaning things like "while contesting" or "by contesting".

Could I just say J'aime contester la norme without using ceci?

Yes, J'aime contester la norme is grammatically complete and much more common. Adding ceci followed by a colon is a stylistic choice. It creates a deliberate, dramatic pause before revealing exactly what it is that you like.

Does ceci change its form to match the gender of the noun norme?

No. Ceci and cela are neutral demonstrative pronouns. They don't have gender or number because they refer to abstract ideas, full statements, or situations (like the entire act of contesting the norm) rather than replacing a specific masculine or feminine noun.