📝 French Basic Grammar: Using Ce or Se

For beginners, ce and se can be confusing because they sound the same in spoken French. However, they play very different roles in grammar. Knowing the difference will help you write correctly and avoid common mistakes.

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1. Ce = This / That / It

👉 Ce is a demonstrative pronoun or determiner. It is used to point to or identify something.

📌 Common Uses of Ce:

• Before être (c’est, ce sont) → this is, it is, these are

  • C’est un problème. → This is a problem.

  • Ce sont mes amis. → These are my friends.

• As a determiner (with a noun) → this, that

  • Ce livre est intéressant. → This book is interesting.

  • Ce jour-là, il faisait beau. → That day, the weather was nice.

👉 Think: ce = this/that/it.

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2. Se = Himself / Herself / Itself / Themselves

👉 Se is a reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs (verbes pronominaux). It shows that the subject does the action to itself.

📌 Common Uses of Se:

• In reflexive verbs:

  • Il se lave. → He washes (himself).

  • Elle se lève tôt. → She gets up early.

  • Ils se parlent. → They talk to each other.

• In past tense (passé composé):

  • Elle s’est réveillée. → She woke up.

👉 Think: se = himself/herself/itself/themselves.

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3. How to Tell the Difference: Ce vs Se

• If it means this/that/it → use ce.

  • Ce film est intéressant. → This movie is interesting.

• If it belongs to a reflexive verb → use se.

  • Il se couche tôt. → He goes to bed early.

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4. Examples Side by Side

• C’est une bonne idée. → It’s a good idea.

• Il s’est trompé. → He made a mistake.

• Ce professeur est gentil. → This teacher is nice.

• Le professeur s’est présenté. → The teacher introduced himself.

• Ce sont mes parents. → These are my parents.

• Ils se sont mariés en 2000. → They got married in 2000.

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5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Se livre est intéressant.
✅ Ce livre est intéressant.

❌ Il ce lève tôt.
✅ Il se lève tôt.

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✅ Quick Recap

• Ce = this, that, it → used before nouns or with être.

• Se = reflexive pronoun → used in reflexive verbs (actions done to oneself).

• They sound the same, but grammar tells you which one to use.

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Choose the correct form (ce or se):

1. ___ livre est très intéressant.

2. Il ___ lave chaque matin.

3. ___ sont mes amis.

4. Elle ___ réveille à 7 heures.

5. ___ jour-là, il pleuvait beaucoup.

Answers:

1. Ce

2. se

3. Ce

4. se

5. Ce

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Conclusion

Even though ce and se sound the same, their functions are different. Ce is used to mean this, that, it, while se is used in reflexive verbs to mean himself, herself, itself, themselves. By checking what comes after — a noun/adjective for ce, or a verb for se — you’ll always know which one to use.

👉 Pro tip: Remember ce + noun/adjective, se + verb.

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TAGS: French ce vs se, difference between ce and se in French, French grammar basics, French demonstrative pronouns, French reflexive verbs beginners

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