c'est
c'est is the French phrase for "this is".
c'est is used to identify people, objects or abstract concepts, functioning similarly to the English "it is" or "this is".
What does it mean word for word?
The form c'est is a contraction of ce (this/that) and est (is).
Which one should you use?
While c'est is used for singular subjects, ce sont is the grammatically correct form to use for plural subjects (meaning "these are").
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swiss French, Ch'est is often used instead of c'est to mean "this is".
How does it change in a sentence?
The negative form of c'est is ce n'est pas.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use il est to identify a person or an object. However, c'est is the standard way to say "this is" or "it is" when introducing something.
Did you know?
- While ce sont is the grammatically correct plural form, native speakers almost always use c'est even when referring to multiple people or objects in casual conversation.
- In spoken French, c'est is frequently used as a filler word or a verbal tic, similar to how English speakers use 'like' or 'you know', to pace their speech.
- Depending on the intonation, c'est… can be used to start a sentence to create a 'topic-comment' structure, which highlights the subject more than English usually does.
Examples in context
- C'est la vie !This is life!This sentence shows how to use c'est to express a common sentiment about life.Tatoeba #486231 by sacredceltic, translation #271727 by CK
- C'est le pied !This is a blast!This sentence uses c'est to express that something is a blast.Tatoeba #2065904 by sacredceltic, translation #11956365 by zogwarg
- C'est un signe !This is a sign.This sentence demonstrates using c'est to identify a sign.Tatoeba #1842463 by sacredceltic, translation #1841782 by Spamster
- Ceci est mon livre.This is my book.
- Voici Marie.This is Marie.
- C'est mon ami Pierre.This is my friend Pierre.
- Voilà ma nouvelle voiture.This is my new car.
- 2568 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are looking at a photo in an album.
- LucasC'est mon frère.This is my brother.
- LéaIl est très mignon !He is very cute!
- LucasOui, c'est un enfant adorable.Yes, this is an adorable child.
- LéaTu as une belle famille.You have a beautiful family.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
