c'est / il est / elle est

Identifying with C'est Versus Describing with Il/elle Est

Level 1

C'est = Identification (This is / It is a...).
Il/Elle est = Description (He/She/It is [adjective]).

How It Works

In French, choosing between c'est and il/elle est is a fundamental skill for Level 1 learners. While both can translate to 'it is' or 'he/she is' in English, they serve different grammatical functions.

1. C'est (Identification & Fixed Contexts)
Use c'est (plural: ce sont) to point something out, identify who someone is, or express general ideas. It is followed by:

2. Il est / Elle est (Description)
Use these (plural: ils sont / elles sont) to describe a specific person or thing already mentioned. It is followed by:

  • An adjective: Elle est grande.
  • A profession or nationality (without an article): Il est médecin, Ils sont français.
  • Telling time: Il est neuf heures.

3. The Profession Rule
If you use a simple profession, use il est: Il est avocat. However, if you add an article or an adjective, you must switch to c'est: C'est un bon avocat.

4. Specific vs. General
Use il/elle est when referring back to a specific noun. For general opinions, use c'est (C'est facile !). However, in formal French, use the impersonal structure il est + adjective + de when followed by an action: Il est facile de parler.

Examples (5)

  1. C'est un livre. Il est intéressant.

    It's a book. It is interesting.

    Word by Word: It is a book. It is interesting.

    We use 'c'est' to identify the object (un livre) and 'il est' to describe its quality (intéressant).

  2. C'est ma sœur. Elle est très gentille.

    This is my sister. She is very kind.

    Word by Word: It is my sister. She is very kind.

    Use 'c'est' to introduce a person with a possessive (ma sœur) and 'elle est' for the description.

  3. Il est professeur, mais c'est un bon professeur.

    He is a teacher, but he is a good teacher.

    Word by Word: He is teacher, but it is a good teacher.

    Use 'il est' for the profession alone, but switch to 'c'est' when the noun is modified by an article and adjective.

  4. C'est lundi. C'est pour toi.

    It's Monday. It's for you.

    Word by Word: It is Monday. It is for you.

    'C'est' is used for days of the week and when followed by a prepositional phrase like 'pour toi'.

  5. C'est facile ! Mais il est difficile de parler.

    It's easy! But it is difficult to speak.

    Word by Word: It is easy! But it is difficult of to speak.

    Use 'c'est' for a general opinion, but use 'il est' in the formal structure followed by 'de' and an infinitive.

Common Mistakes

  • Using an article with 'il est' for professions.

    Il est un médecin.
    Il est médecin. / C'est un médecin.

    In everyday French, a profession after 'il est' works like an adjective and takes no article. To use 'un/une', say 'c'est un médecin'. (With an adjective, 'il est un excellent médecin' also appears in formal writing.)

  • Using 'il est' with a proper name.

    Il est Jean.
    C'est Jean.

    To identify someone by name, you must use 'c'est'.

  • Using 'c'est' to tell the time.

    C'est huit heures.
    Il est huit heures.

    To tell what time it is now, use the impersonal 'il est': 'Il est huit heures.' 'C'est' is for other things, such as 'C'est l'heure de partir.'

How It Connects

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c'est / il est / elle estLevel 1Identifying with C'est Versus Describing with Il/elle Est

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c'est