C'est or il est?

A1 — Structure de la phrase

Distinguishing c'est and il est constructions

Can correctly choose between c'est and il/elle est in descriptions

Examples

C'est un bon restaurant. Il est cher mais il est excellent. — It's a good restaurant. It's expensive but it's excellent.
Elle est médecin. C'est une bonne médecin. — She's a doctor. She's a good doctor.
C'est moi ! C'est Pierre et c'est sa sœur. — It's me! It's Pierre and it's his sister.

Sentence structureA1

C'est or il est?

Distinguishing c'est and il est constructions

Learning Goal

Can correctly choose between c'est and il/elle est in descriptions

Exam Skills:WritingSpeaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

C'est un bon restaurant. Il est cher mais il est excellent.

It's a good restaurant. It's expensive but it's excellent.

Elle est médecin. C'est une bonne médecin.

She's a doctor. She's a good doctor.

C'est moi ! C'est Pierre et c'est sa sœur.

It's me! It's Pierre and it's his sister.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Both c'est and il est / elle est can translate English "it is", "he is" or "she is", and choosing between them is one of the classic difficulties for English speakers. The choice depends mainly on what comes next.

C'est / ce sont	Il est / elle est
+ a noun with an article or other determiner: C'est un professeur. C'est mon* frère.*	+ an adjective about a specific person or thing: Il est grand. Elle est sympa.
+ a name: C'est Marie.	+ a profession, with no article: Il est professeur.
+ a stressed pronoun: C'est moi.	+ a nationality used as an adjective: Elle est française.
+ an adjective about a situation or idea: C'est bon* !* C'est difficile.	+ the time: Il est trois heures.

A rule of thumb

A determiner (un, le, mon...) after the verb: use c'est. C'est un bon livre.
A bare adjective about a person or thing already mentioned: use il est or elle est. Tu as lu ce livre ? Il est intéressant.

Professions

This is where English interferes most. English says "He's a doctor"; French says either Il est médecin (no article) or C'est un médecin. *Il est un médecin mixes the two and is wrong.

The general c'est

When you react to something, the adjective after c'est stays masculine, whatever you are talking about: La Tarte Tatin ? C'est délicieux ! If you describe that particular tart, it is Elle est délicieuse.

In the plural, careful French uses ce sont before a plural noun (Ce sont mes amis.), though c'est mes amis is common in speech.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Using c'est where il est is needed and vice versa; adding article with il est + profession. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'he is' for everything. The c'est/il est split is confusing.

Common Error Patterns

Wrong choice between c'est and il est

C'est + article + noun (C'est un professeur). Il est + adjective alone (Il est français). Il est + profession without article (Il est professeur).

C'est un bon restaurant. Il est cher mais il est excellent.

It's a good restaurant. It's expensive but it's excellent.

C'est + un + noun. Il est + adjective alone.

Elle est médecin. C'est une bonne médecin.

She's a doctor. She's a good doctor.

Il/Elle est + profession (no article). C'est + article + modified noun.

C'est moi ! C'est Pierre et c'est sa sœur.

It's me! It's Pierre and it's his sister.

C'est + stressed pronoun (moi). C'est + proper name.

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Frequently asked questions

When do you use C'est or il est??: Both c'est and il est / elle est can translate English "it is", "he is" or "she is", and choosing between them is one of the classic difficulties for English speakers. The choice depends mainly on what comes next.
How do you form C'est or il est??: This is where English interferes most. English says "He's a doctor"; French says either Il est médecin (no article) or C'est un médecin . *Il est un médecin mixes the two and is wrong. When you react to something, the adjective after c'est stays masculine, whatever you are talking about: La Tarte Tatin ? C'est délicieux ! If you describe that particular tart, it is Elle est délicieuse. In the plural, careful French uses ce sont before a plural noun ( Ce sont mes amis. ), though c'est mes amis is common in speech.
What are common mistakes with C'est or il est??: Using c'est where il est is needed and vice versa; adding article with il est + profession. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'he is' for everything. The c'est/il est split is confusing.

C'est / ce sont

Il est / elle est

+ a noun with an article or other determiner: C'est un professeur. C'est mon frère.

+ an adjective about a specific person or thing: Il est grand. Elle est sympa.

+ a name: C'est Marie.

+ a profession, with no article: Il est professeur.

+ a stressed pronoun: C'est moi.

+ a nationality used as an adjective: Elle est française.

+ an adjective about a situation or idea: C'est bon ! C'est difficile.

+ the time: Il est trois heures.

Frequently asked questions

When do you use C'est or il est??

Both c'est and il est / elle est can translate English "it is", "he is" or "she is", and choosing between them is one of the classic difficulties for English speakers. The choice depends mainly on what comes next.

How do you form C'est or il est??

This is where English interferes most. English says "He's a doctor"; French says either Il est médecin (no article) or C'est un médecin . *Il est un médecin mixes the two and is wrong. When you react to something, the adjective after c'est stays masculine, whatever you are talking about: La Tarte Tatin ? C'est délicieux ! If you describe that particular tart, it is Elle est délicieuse. In the plural, careful French uses ce sont before a plural noun ( Ce sont mes amis. ), though c'est mes amis is common in speech.

What are common mistakes with C'est or il est??

Using c'est where il est is needed and vice versa; adding article with il est + profession. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'he is' for everything. The c'est/il est split is confusing.