"That is a cake."

Translation: C'est un gâteau.

[RedeemtheTime]

Why isn't it "Est-ce un gateau"? What is the difference?

[Sitesurf]

"Est-ce un gâteau ?" is interrogative (question), while "c'est un gâteau" is assertive (statement).

[RedeemtheTime]

Have I not seen such assertive statements with question marks in Duolingo? Perhaps I am remembering incorrectly. What are the general differences between sentence structure anyway between interrogatives and assertives?

[Sitesurf]

There are 3 possible structures to ask a question in French: formal - standard and casual.
The unmistakable hint, however, is the presence of a question mark at the end of the sentence (?)

• The more formal one is built with an inversion Verb-Subject: "est-ce un gâteau ?"
• The standard one uses "est-ce que" which already contains an inversion (est-ce), followed by an assertive sentence : "est-ce que c'est un gâteau ?"
• The casual one is used in oral and since its structure is similar to an assertive sentence, it implies that your voice raises at the end of the sentence: "c'est un gâteau ?"

[theferrarifan]

Wouldn't "Ceci est un gâteau" Work as well? I know french, just strengthening it.

[GrapFriend]

I think "ceci" is used with feminine nouns

E.g 'ceci est une chienne'

[Sitesurf]

No, ceci and cela are independent from the gender of any other word in the sentence:

• ceci est un chien/une chienne = this is a dog/a female dog
• cela est un chien/une chienne = that is a dog/a female dog

It is relatively easy to remember both translations with the vowel used:

• thIs = cecI and thAt = celA

[discobanco]

Is there such thing as a tarte ?

[Sitesurf]

Sure! une tarte is a tart, ie a disk of dough with fruit on top.

[discobanco]

Ah thanks a mil, so it's like a pie :) Mixed them up

[lancslad]

if "that is..." is "c'est", what is "this is..."?

[kikitiger]

Is there any difference between "that" and "this" in French?