Identifying with "C'est"
To point out or identify what or who something is, use c'est followed by a noun (like "an animal" or "a friend"). Depending on the context, it translates to "it is", "he is", or "she is".
| It is an animal. | C'est un animal. |
| He is a friend. | C'est un ami. |
Describing with "Il est" and "Elle est"
To describe someone or something directly with an adjective (like "big" or "small"), do not use c'est. Instead, use il est (masculine) or elle est (feminine).
| It is big. | Il est grand. |
Putting It Together
You will often identify something first with c'est, and then describe it with il/elle est. You can also connect your thoughts with helpful words like très (very) and mais (but).
| It is a dog. It is small but very intelligent. | C'est un chien. Il est petit mais très intelligent. |
| She is a girl. She is very young. | C'est une fille. Elle est très jeune. |
| It is an apple. It is small. | C'est une pomme. Elle est petite. |
Summary
| Purpose | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Identifying | C'est + Noun | C'est un animal. |
| Describing | Il/Elle est + Adjective | Il est grand. |
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