c'est vs il est
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cestTRANSCRIPT
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French Language
By Laura K. Lawless
C'est vs Il est
C'est vs Il est | C'est | Il est | Test: C'est vs Il est
The French expressions c'est and il est are extremely important impersonal expressions. They can mean things like this is, that is, it is, they are, and
even he / she is.
Paris ? C'est magnifique ! Paris? It's magnificent!
Il est facile d'apprendre le franais. It's easy to learn French.
C'est une fille sympa, Lise. Lise? She's a nice girl.
O est Paul ? Il est en retard. Where's Paul? He's late.
C'est and il est are the root forms, used for impersonal expressions and general comments: It's interesting, It's nice, It's fortunate, It's too bad, etc.
When talking about specific people, things, or ideas, c'est and il est may change.
Ce sont des Franais ? Non, des Italiens. Are they French? No, Italian.
Voici Alice - elle est professeur. This is Alice - she's a teacher.
Despite their similar meanings, the expressions c'est and il est are not interchangeable - there are rules for using each one. The following table summarizes
the different things that can be used after each of them. Click the links in the red box below for detailed information about each of these uses of c'est and il
est.
IL EST C'EST
Adjective describing a person
Il est fort, cet homme.
(That man is strong.)
Elle est intelligente.
(She is smart.)
vs Adjective describing a situation
J'entends sa voix, c'est bizarre.
(I hear his voice, it's weird.)
C'est normal !
(That's normal!)
Unmodified adverb
Il est tard.
(It's late.)
Elles sont ici.
(They are here)
vs Modified adverb
C'est trop tard.
(It's too late.)
C'est trs loin d'ici.
(It's very far from here.)
Unmodified noun
Il est avocat.
(He's a lawyer.)
Elle est actrice.
(She's an actress.)
vs Modified noun
C'est un avocat.
(He's a lawyer.)
C'est une bonne actrice.
(She's a good actress.)
Preposition al phrase (people)
Il est la banque.
(He's at the bank.)
Elle est en France.
(She's in France.)
Proper name
C'est Luc. (That's Luc.)
Stressed pronoun
C'est moi. (That's me.)
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C'est becomes ce sont when followed by a plural noun. In spoken French, though, c'est is often used anyway.
Il est becomes elle est, ils sont, or elles sont, as appropriate depending on the gender and number of the noun that it is replacing or modifying.
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