What is the difference between "ce" and "se"?

Nothing can distinguishes se and ce when you hear them. However, they have completely different meanings:

    - you will always find se (or s' ) in front of a verb

e.g.: se souvenir -> to remember.

It refers to a person as me or tdo, they are called "pronoms personnels réfléchis".  

Let's now conjugate se souvenir:

Je me souviens 

Tu te souviens

Il se souviens 

Nous nous souvenons

Vous vous souvenez

Ils se souviennent

 

    - ce will always be found in front of a noun. The feminine of ce is cette.

e.g.: ce cahier -> this notebook

       cette chaise -> this chair

Ce is used in the same place than le. However, there is a difference of degree between these two determinants: ce is more vague than le. The same difference applies to the (= le) and this (= ce).

 

 

 

DS
Answered by Domitille S. French tutor

19576 Views

See similar French A Level tutors

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

How can I revise for a French speaking exam?


'Si' clauses


What kind of language and structures should I use to gain more marks for AO3 (for the AQA syllabus)?


When do you need to agree the past participle when using the passé composé?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning