Learn French: C'est un ami.

C'est un ami.

He is a friend.

Breakdown of C'est un ami.

être

to be

a / an (masculine)

it / this (with être)

l'ami

the friend (m)

Questions & Answers about C'est un ami.

Why do we use C'est here instead of Il est to say He is?

This is the golden rule for identifying people! Because we are using a noun with an article (un ami), we must use C'est. We only use Il est when describing someone with just an adjective, like Il est grand (He is tall).

Doesn't C'est literally translate to It is?

Yes, literally it means It is or This is. But in French, C'est is the standard way to say He is or She is when you introduce someone using a noun phrase, like un ami or mon frère (my brother).

How do I change this sentence to say She is a friend?

You just change the noun phrase to be feminine by using the feminine article and adding an e to the noun. It becomes C'est une amie. Notice that C'est does not change at all! It works for both masculine and feminine people.

What does the apostrophe in C'est stand for?

It stands for the letter e in the word ce (meaning this or it). When ce is placed right before a word starting with a vowel, like est, the e drops out and is replaced by an apostrophe so the words flow together smoothly.