Language/French/Grammar/Typical-use-of-demonstrative-determiners
Demonstrative determiners imply a contrast between the entity referred to by the noun they accompany and other entities of a similar type:
- Cette voiture a fait le tour du monde
This car has been around the world
(The car referred to is implicitly contrasted with other cars which haven't been around the world.)
- A cet instant, la porte s'est brusquement refermée derrière eux
At that moment the door suddenly closed behind them
(The moment referred to is implicitly contrasted with other moments when the door didn't close.)
Note that ce, cet/cette translate both 'this' and 'that', ces translates both 'these' and 'those'. The form -ci can be added to the noun accompanied by ce, etc., to stress proximity in space or time. Proximity in English is part of the meaning of 'this', but it can also be emphasized by stressing 'this' or sometimes by adding 'here' after the noun:
- Cette voiture-ci a fait le tour du monde
THIS car/This car here has been around the world
- Ce mois-ci je ne peux pas vous payer
THIS month I can't pay you
The form là can be added to the noun accompanied by ce, etc., to stress nonproximity in space or time. Non-proximity in English is part of the meaning of 'that', but it can also be emphasized by stressing 'that' or sometimes by adding 'there' after the noun:
- Cette année-là nous ne sommes pas allés à la mer
THAT year we did not go to the sea
- Ce matin-là, je m'étais réveillé très tard
THAT morning I had woken up very late
-ci and -là are necessary if a comparison is made between 'this X' and 'that X':
- Est-ce que vous préférez cette voiture-ci ou cette voiture-là?
Do you prefer this car or that car?