Breakdown of C'est une pomme. Elle est petite.
Questions & Answers about C'est une pomme. Elle est petite.
Why do we use C'est for "It is" in the first sentence, but Elle est in the second?
This is the main rule for this lesson! We use C'est to identify a thing using a noun (like une pomme). We use Il/Elle est to describe a thing using just an adjective (like petite). So, "It is an apple" uses C'est, and "It is small" uses Elle est. Wait, doesn't Elle mean "she"? Why are we calling an apple "she"?
In French, all nouns are either masculine or feminine. Because pomme (apple) is a feminine noun, we have to use the feminine pronoun elle when referring back to it, even for an object. In English, we still translate this as "It". Why does petite have an e at the end?
Describing words (adjectives) in French have to match the gender of the noun they describe. The basic masculine word for "small" is petit. Since pomme is feminine, we add an e to make the adjective feminine: petite. Could I say C'est petite to mean "It is small"?
Not when describing this specific apple. Because you are describing a specific feminine noun that you just mentioned, you must use Elle est plus the adjective. Learn C'est une pomme. Elle est petite and more in French
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