c'est difficile
The English phrase "this is hard" is translated into French as c'est difficile.
c'est difficile is used to say that a task or situation requires a lot of effort to complete or understand.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase c'est is a contraction of ce (this/it) and est (is).
Which one should you use?
While c'est difficile is the standard way to say "this is hard", using c'est dur is a common, slightly more colloquial alternative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France and Belgium, C'est chaud. is used by younger generations to express that something is difficult.
How does it change in a sentence?
When followed by an infinitive verb (like 'understand'), the phrase uses the preposition à instead of de.
When do people say it?
C'est comme chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin is an idiomatic expression related to difficulty.
Did you know?
- French speakers may use the word galère to describe a 'hard' situation. This comes from the 'galley' ships where convicts were forced to row under brutal conditions.
- While difficile describes a task, the word dur describes physical hardness. However, using c'est dur to mean 'this is hard' often implies an emotional or psychological hardship rather than just a technical challenge.
- The word difficile shares a common ancestor with the English word 'difficult', both stemming from the Latin 'difficilis'.
Examples in context
- Je sais que c'est difficile pour toi.I know this is hard for you.This sentence shows how to express that something is hard for someone.Tatoeba #5923255 by Aiji, translation #2376171 by CK
- Je sais que c'est difficile à comprendre, pour toi.I know this is hard for you to understand.This sentence demonstrates using the phrase followed by an infinitive to say something is hard to understand.Tatoeba #3251562 by sacredceltic, translation #3250952 by Hybrid
- C'est difficile pour moi.This is hard for me.This sentence is a simple way to state that something is hard for the speaker.Tatoeba #3641605 by maydoo, translation #3415345 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are studying for a math exam.
- LéaJe n'arrive pas à faire cet exercice, c'est difficile.I can't do this exercise, this is hard.
- NathanTu as raison, c'est difficile pour tout le monde.You are right, this is hard for everyone.
- LéaEst-ce que Nathan peut nous aider ?Can Nathan help us?
- NathanJe suis Nathan, et je pense que c'est difficile aussi !I am Nathan, and I think this is hard too!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries c'est, difficile, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
