{"id":2841,"date":"2018-12-19T12:48:24","date_gmt":"2018-12-19T12:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/?p=2841"},"modified":"2018-12-21T16:36:09","modified_gmt":"2018-12-21T16:36:09","slug":"cest-vs-il-est-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/cest-vs-il-est-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"C\u2019est vs. Il est: When and How to Use Them in French"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sometimes French learners get frustrated when they encounter two very similar expressions that are difficult to distinguish. C\u2019est<\/em><\/strong> vs. il est<\/em><\/strong> is a common example of this. The two phrases mitght seem similar; however, each of them has distinct rules about when and how it should be used.<\/p>\n

These two expressions do not need to be confusing. Let\u2019s start at the very beginning and explore the challenge of c\u2019est<\/em><\/strong> vs. il est<\/em><\/strong>. With some clear rules and helpful hints, you\u2019ll have a better grasp of them in no time.<\/p>\n

What does c\u2019est<\/em> mean?<\/h2>\n

C\u2019est<\/em><\/strong> is ce<\/strong> (C\u2019<\/strong>)<\/em> combined with est<\/em><\/strong> (\u201cis\u201d form of the verb \u00eatre<\/em>.) It translates to it is<\/em>, this is<\/em>, and\u00a0that is.<\/em><\/p>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> un chat<\/em>. (That\u2019s <\/strong>a cat.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> mercredi. <\/em>(It\u2019s<\/strong> Wednesday.)<\/p>\n

What does il est <\/em>mean?<\/h2>\n

Il<\/strong> est <\/strong><\/em>is the subject pronoun il <\/em><\/strong>(he) combined with est<\/em><\/strong> (\u201cis\u201d from the verb \u00eatre<\/em>.) It translates to it is<\/em>, this is <\/em>and\u00a0that is.<\/em>\u00a0It also literally translates to he is<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Il est<\/span> tr\u00e8s beau.<\/em> (He is<\/strong> very handsome.)
\nIl est<\/span> huit heures. <\/em>(It is <\/strong>eight o\u2019clock.)<\/p>\n

Are there any other forms of c\u2019est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

C\u2019est<\/em><\/span><\/strong> in its plural form is ce sont<\/em><\/span><\/strong>. It means they are<\/em> or these are<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Ce sont<\/span> les voitures de mon oncle. <\/em> (These are <\/strong>my uncle\u2019s cars.)<\/p>\n

Are there any other forms of il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Il est <\/em><\/span><\/strong>in its plural form is ils sont<\/span><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ils sont<\/span> \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9cole. <\/em>(They are<\/strong> at school.)<\/p>\n

Elle est <\/em><\/span><\/strong>is the feminine form of il est. <\/em>To make it plural, you use elles sont<\/span><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Elle est<\/span> tard. <\/em>(She is<\/strong> late.)
\nElles sont<\/span> amusantes. <\/em>(They are <\/strong>amusing.)<\/p>\n

Here is a chart to help you see how these subjects are conjugated with the verb \u00eatre<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Singular<\/strong><\/td>\nPlural<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Je suis <\/em>(I am)<\/td>\nNous sommes <\/em>(We are)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu es <\/em>(You are)<\/td>\nVous \u00eates <\/em>(You are)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il est <\/em>(He is)<\/strong><\/td>\nIls sont <\/em>(They are \u2013 masculine)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elle est <\/em>(She is)<\/strong><\/td>\nElles sont <\/em>(They are \u2013 feminine)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C\u2019est <\/em>(It is)<\/strong><\/td>\nCe sont <\/em>(They are)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Want to review the conjugation of the verb \u00eatre<\/em>? Try this helpful site: ‘\u00catre’: Conjugation of This Major French Verb<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Is there a shortcut I can use to know when to use c\u2019est<\/em> vs. il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

If you want a quick, bottom-line answer that will be right a lot of the time (but not all the time), here it is:<\/p>\n

If the expression is followed by a noun, you will usually use c\u2019est <\/em>or ce sont<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> la v\u00e9rit\u00e9. <\/em>(It\u2019s <\/strong>the truth.)
\nCe sont<\/span> les faits. <\/em>(These are<\/strong> the facts.)<\/p>\n

Aside from that quick note, there are some more specific rules you can use to determine which expression to use.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What are the precise rules for c\u2019est vs. il est<\/em>? What are the details for usage?<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s explore these two expressions in more detail. To determine whether to use c\u2019est <\/em>or il est<\/em>, we need to look at what follows the expression.<\/p>\n

At first this can seem overwhelming, but don\u2019t worry! We can break it down into separate parts of speech to make it more manageable.<\/p>\n

What if the expression is followed by a noun? Do I use c\u2019est<\/em> or il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Most of the time, c\u2019est <\/em>is followed by a noun.<\/p>\n

Here is a detailed chart of contexts involving\u00a0nouns<\/strong> for you so you can explore all of the possibilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Situation:<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est\/Ce sont<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIl est\/Elle est<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before a modified noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

Modified nouns are nouns with modifiers (usually an article or an adjective.)<\/td>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> un chien.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s a dog.)<\/p>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> une grande maison.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s a big house.)<\/p>\n

Ce sont <\/em><\/span>de belles robes.
\n(Those are beautiful dresses.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before an unmodified noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unmodified nouns are nouns without modifiers (such as articles and adjectives.)<\/p>\n

These are commonly used in French with words for professions, religions, and nationalities.<\/td>\n

<\/td>\nIl est<\/span> m\u00e9decin.
\n<\/em>(He is a doctor.)<\/p>\n

Elle est<\/span> pharmacienne.
\n<\/em>(She is a pharmacist.)<\/p>\n

Ils sont<\/span> fran\u00e7ais.
\n<\/em>(They are French.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Before a proper noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

Proper nouns are nouns that are a specific name for a person, place, or a thing.<\/p>\n

In English, they are always capitalized.<\/td>\n

-Qui est \u00e0 la porte?
\n<\/em>–C\u2019est<\/span> Marc.
\n<\/em>(-Who is at the door?
\n-That\u2019s Marc.)<\/p>\n

-Quelle est la capitale de la France?
\n<\/em>–C\u2019est<\/span> Paris.<\/em><\/p>\n

(-What is the capital of France?
\n-It\u2019s Paris.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before a pronoun<\/strong><\/td>\n-Qui est l\u00e0?
\n<\/em>–C\u2019est<\/span> moi!
\n<\/em>(-Who is there?
\n-It\u2019s me!)<\/p>\n

–Ce sont les livres de Sylvie?
\n<\/em>-Non, ce sont<\/span> les miens.
\n<\/em>(-These are Sylvie\u2019s books?
\n-No, those are mine.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before a superlative<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est<\/span> le plus grand de la famille.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s the biggest in the family.)<\/p>\n

Ce sont<\/span> les meilleurs de la classe.
\n<\/em>(These are the best in the class.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Telling dates<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est<\/span> jeudi, le treize d\u00e9cembre.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s Thursday, the thirteenth of December.)<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Telling times<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nIl est<\/span> huit heures.
\n<\/em>It is eight o’clock.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

What if the expression is followed by an adjective? Do I use c\u2019est<\/em> or il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Adjectives can be a little bit more difficult. They can follow both c\u2019est<\/em> and il est<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Here is a detailed chart of when each expression is used with adjectives<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Situation:<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est\/Ce sont<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIl est\/Elle est<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Referring to a preceding noun (what you\u2019re already discussing now)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nSophie est ma tante.
\n<\/em>Elle est<\/span> tr\u00e8s jolie.
\n<\/em>(Sophie is my aunt.
\nShe is very pretty.)<\/p>\n

Regardez ce bateau.
\n<\/em>Il est<\/span> beau.
\n<\/em>(Look at this boat.
\nIt is beautiful.)<\/p>\n

J\u2019ai achet\u00e9 une maison.
\n<\/em>Elle est<\/span> grande.
\n<\/em>(I bought a house.
\nIt is big.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Referring to an idea or action that was previously discussed<\/strong><\/td>\n–Le prof est tr\u00e8s intelligent.
\n<\/em>-Oui, c\u2019est<\/span> \u00e9vident.
\n<\/em>(-The teacher is very intelligent.
\n-Yes, that\u2019s obvious.)<\/p>\n

-Ta soeur parle tr\u00e8s bien.
\n<\/em>–C\u2019est<\/span> vrai.
\n<\/em>(-Your sister speaks very well.
\n-It\u2019s true.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Referring to an inanimate noun (situation, opinion, feeling, etc.) <\/strong><\/p>\n

In this case, c\u2019est <\/em>is always followed by an adjective in the masculine singular form.<\/td>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> difficile, la vie.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s difficult, life.)<\/p>\n

L\u2019art, c\u2019est<\/span> int\u00e9ressant.
\n<\/em>(Art, it\u2019s interesting.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Want to brush up on your French adjectives? Here is a great video to watch: 100 French Adjectives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What if the expression is followed by an adverb? Do I use c\u2019est<\/em> or il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

This rule is easy. If the adverb is modified, use c\u2019est<\/em>. If it isn\u2019t modified, use il est.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here is a helpful chart for adverbs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Situation:<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est\/Ce sont<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIl est\/Elle est<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before a modified adverb<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est<\/span> tr\u00e8s loin du supermarch\u00e9.
\n<\/em>(It\u2019s very far from the supermarket.)<\/p>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> si int\u00e9ressant.
\n<\/em>(That\u2019s so interesting.)<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before an unmodified adverb<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nElle est<\/span> tard.
\n<\/em>(She is late.)<\/p>\n

Il est<\/span> t\u00f4t.
\n<\/em>(He is early.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

What about prepositions? Will I use c\u2019est <\/em>or il est<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Prepositions will follow Il est <\/em>or Elle est.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here are some examples using prepositions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Situation:<\/strong><\/td>\nC\u2019est\/Ce sont<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIl est\/Elle est<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before prepositional phrases indicating locations<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nIl est<\/span> \u00e0 la biblioth\u00e8que.
\n<\/em>(He\/It is at the library.)<\/p>\n

La Joconde?
\n<\/em>Elle est<\/span> en France.
\n<\/em>(The Mona Lisa?
\nShe\/It is in France.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Before a prepositional phrase<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nElle est<\/span> avec Jean-Claude.
\n<\/em>(She is with Jean-Claude.)<\/p>\n

Il est<\/span> de Paris.
\n<\/em>(He is from France.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Need a bit of review with French prepositions? Here is the Essential Guide to French Prepositions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Are there common French expressions using c\u2019est <\/em>that I should know?<\/h2>\n

Bien s\u00fbr! <\/em>(Of course!) There are many French expressions that begin with c\u2019est.<\/em> Here is a list of some of the most common expressions using c\u2019est:<\/em><\/p>\n

C\u2019est<\/span> la vie.\u00a0<\/em>(That\u2019s life.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span>-\u00e0-dire.\u00a0<\/em>(That is. \/ In other words.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> vrai.\/C\u2019est<\/span> faux.\u00a0<\/em>(That\u2019s true. \/ That\u2019s false.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> tout.\u00a0<\/em>(That\u2019s all.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> parti.\u00a0<\/em>(And we\u2019re off!\/Here we go!)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> comme \u00e7a.\u00a0<\/em>(It\u2019s like that.\/ That\u2019s the way it is.)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> quoi?\u00a0<\/em>(What is it?\/What\u2019s that?)
\nC\u2019est<\/span> n\u2019importe quoi.\u00a0<\/em>(That\u2019s nonsense.)<\/p>\n

Are there common French expressions using il est <\/em>that I should know?<\/h2>\n

You should know that when telling time and asking for the time, we use\u00a0il est<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Quelle heure est-il<\/span>? <\/em>(What time is it?)
\nIl est<\/span> sept heures et quart. <\/em>(It is seven fifteen.)<\/p>\n

What about the expression il y a?<\/em> Is il y a <\/em>the same as c\u2019est <\/em>or il est?<\/em><\/h2>\n

Some French language learners get confused with the expression il y a<\/strong>, <\/em>but it is actually quite different than c\u2019est <\/em>and il est<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Il y a <\/em>means there is<\/em> or there are<\/em>. It is usually used in different situations than c\u2019est <\/em>or il est <\/em>would be used. <\/em>It also has a different meaning than c\u2019est <\/em>and il est. <\/em><\/p>\n

Here are some examples of when to use il y a<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Before an indefinite article and a noun:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Il y a<\/strong> un garcon qui parle espagnol. <\/em>(There is<\/strong> a boy who speaks Spanish.)<\/p>\n

Before a number and a noun:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Il y a<\/strong> trois tranches de jambon dans le frigo. <\/em>(There are<\/strong> three slices of ham in the fridge.)<\/p>\n

Before an indefinite pronoun:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Il y a<\/strong> quelque chose sur la table.\u00a0<\/em>(There is<\/strong> something on the table.)<\/p>\n

Wondering about what indefinite pronouns are? Here is an article on some of the common ones: Indefinite Pronouns in French.<\/a><\/p>\n

Challenge yourself with Clozemaster<\/h2>\n

Test your skills and see what you’ve learned from this article by playing a selection of French sentences with c\u2019est<\/em> and il est<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n