Questions & Answers about Ce journal local parle de notre village.
Why is it ce journal and not cet journal or cette journal?
In French, ce / cet / cette are all forms of “this/that”:
- ce: before a masculine singular noun starting with a consonant
- ce journal, ce livre, ce garçon
- cet: before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel or mute h
- cet homme, cet arbre, cet hôtel
- cette: before a feminine singular noun
- cette voiture, cette fille, cette table
Because journal is masculine, singular, and begins with the consonant sound /ʒ/ (the j), the correct form is ce journal.
Cet journal is impossible, and cette journal would be wrong because journal is not feminine.
What does journal mean here? Does it mean “diary” or “newspaper”?