What does it mean word for word?
c'est sympa is a contraction of ce (it/this) and est (is), followed by the adjective sympa.
Which one should you use?
While c'est sympa is informal and used for people or situations, c'est agréable is more formal and describes a sensory or atmospheric pleasantness. For a more enthusiastic tone, c'est génial means "it's awesome" and c'est chouette can be used colloquially to mean "it's cool" or "it's nice".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
c'est sympa is an informal or colloquial way to say something is nice. For formal settings, you should use c'est agréable or c'est plaisant. c'est chouette is a colloquial term, and c'est génial is an informal way to express that something is awesome.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, locals use C'est le fun to express that something is nice.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used with c'est, the adjective sympa is invariable, meaning it does not change its form to agree with a preceding noun. Note that sympa itself is a common shortening of the full adjective sympathique.
Did you know?
- The word chouette, used in the phrase c'est chouette, is also the French word for 'owl'.
- The word sympa is a 'false friend' for English speakers. While 'sympathetic' describes someone feeling pity, the French sympathique simply means that a person is friendly or likeable.
- In a social context, if someone says C'est sympa with a specific descending intonation, it can be used as a polite but subtle way to express disappointment or irony.
Examples in context
- Les jardins du château sont agréables à visiter.The gardens of the castle are nice to visit.
- La vue depuis ma chambre d'hôtel est plaisante.The view from my hotel room is pleasant.
- Votre présentation était appréciable et bien structurée.Your presentation was enjoyable and well-structured.
- Le film que j'ai regardé hier soir était sympa.The movie I watched last night was nice.
- Ton nouvel appartement est vraiment chouette!Your new apartment is really cool/nice!
- C'est sympa de ta part.It is nice of you.
- C'est sympa d'avoir appelé.It is nice that you called.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are talking about a coworker's gift.
- NathanIl a offert des fleurs à Chloé.He gave flowers to Chloé.
- ChloéOui, c'est sympa de sa part.Yes, it is nice of him.
- NathanIl est très gentil avec elle.He is very kind to her.
- ChloéC'est vrai, c'est une bonne personne.It's true, he is a good person.
