ce

Everyday

1. (French) «Ce» means «this» or «that» or «it»: «ce livre» = this book, «c'est» = it is. It sounds like «suh» and is not an English word. tree →
2. (abbreviation) CE stands for «Common Era», used with years instead of AD; BCE means «Before the Common Era». tree →
3. (abbreviation) A CE mark on toys and electrical goods shows they meet European safety rules. tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons «ce» comes in «c'est» (it is), «qu'est-ce que c'est?» (what is it?) and «ce matin» (this morning). In history lessons CE and BCE mark years on timelines. On toys and chargers, look for the CE mark (in the UK also UKCA) as a sign of a safety check.

Examples

• In French, «c'est mon chien» means «it's my dog». tree →
• «Ce garçon» means «this boy». tree →
• «Qu'est-ce que c'est?» means «What is it?» tree →
• The Romans left Britain in the fifth century CE. tree →
• BCE years count down towards year 1 CE. tree →
• Check the toy box for a CE safety mark. tree →
• French uses «ce» before a masculine noun and «cette» before a feminine one. tree →

Note

French «ce» changes: «cet» before a vowel (cet arbre), «cette» for feminine (cette fille), «ces» for plural. «C'est» is «ce + est». CE and BCE are written in capitals and mean the same years as AD and BC. Not an English word on its own.