When can you use C’est and Il est ?

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Hi English speakers who want to Learn french 🙂 !

In this article I share with you When you can use c’est and il est.

"C’est" and "Il est"

C’est / ce sont

• To identify a thing or a person

-C’est + singular noun

Example :

C’est un acteur. → It's an actor.

C’est une mangue. → It's a mango.

-Ce sont + plural noun

Example :

Ce sont des mangues. → These are mangos.

Ce sont des acteurs. → They are actors.

• When we ask a question, it is always singular

- To identify one or more things

Example :

Qu’est-ce que c’est ? → What is it ?

C’est un dessin de Gauguin. → It is a drawing of Gauguin.

Ce sont des dessins de Picasso. → These are Picasso's drawings.

- To identify one or more people

Qui c’est ? → Who is it ?

C’est mon cousin.→ He is my cousin.

Ce sont mes amis. → These are my friends.

• To introduce a person

C’est + singular noun
Ce sont + plural noun

Example :

C’est Pierre. → He is Pierre.

C’est mon directeur. → He is my director.

Ce sont mes parents. → They are my parents.

Ce sont des amis. → They are friends.

• We use c’est invariably (that is to say we cannot replace it with ce sont) when we announce: on the intercom, at the door, ...

Example :

C’est Julie et Sophie. → We are Julie and Sophie.

• To make a comment

C’est + adjective masculine singular

Example :

Les glaces, c’est bon. → Ice cream is good.

La mer, c’est beau. → The sea is beautiful.

Paris, c’est magnifique ! → Paris, it's beautiful !

• To announce a date

Example :

C’est le 5 janvier 2018. → It's January 5th, 2018.

Aujourd’hui c’est mercredi. → Today is Wednesday.

 

C’est and Il est

Il est/ elle est / ils sont / elles sont

 

• Il est + profession

Example :

Il est médecin. → He is a doctor.

• Il est + nationality

Example :

Il est mexicain. → He is Mexican.

• Il est + religion

Example :

Elle est musulmane. → She is Muslim.

• Il est + adjective

Example :

Il est sympathique. → He is nice.

In these cases the equivalent exists in the feminine :

Example :

Elle est médecin, elle est méxicaine, elle est amicale → She is a doctor, she is Mexican, she is friendly.

 

Exercises

1 - ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………une mangue.

It is a mango.

2 - …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………un dessin de ma fille.

It's a drawing of my daughter.

3 - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………professeur.

He is a professor.

4 - ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………..Camille.

She is Camille.

5 - …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..danoise.

She is Danish.

6 - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….mon directeur.

He is my director.

7 - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….des amis.

These are friends.

8 - Qu’est-ce que………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….. ?

What is it ?

9 - ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..mes chaussures.

These are my shoes.

10 - ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….marin.

He is a sailor.

 

Answers

1 - C’est

2 - C’est

3 - Il est

4 - C’est

5 - Elle est

6 - C’est

7 - Ce sont

8 - C’est

9 - Ce sont

10 - Il est

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