Question 1

Why is it n'est instead of ne est?

Accepted Answer

In French, when the negative word ne comes before a verb that starts with a vowel (like est), the letter 'e' is dropped and replaced with an apostrophe. This is called elision, and it makes the words easier to say together.

Question 2

I learned that 'it is' is c'est. Why did it change to ce n'est here?

Accepted Answer

To make a verb negative, you usually put ne before it and pas after it. The phrase c'est is actually made of the pronoun ce (it) and the verb est (is). When you add the negative words, they have to wrap around the verb itself, giving you ce n'est pas.

Question 3

Why use ce for 'it' here instead of il?

Accepted Answer

While il is used for 'it' when referring back to a specific masculine thing (like a book or a dog), ce is used for general situations, ideas, or facts. Since 'it is not true' refers to a general statement, we use ce.

Question 4

Do I pronounce the 't' in the word et?

Accepted Answer

No, the 't' at the end of et (and) is always completely silent. You just pronounce it like the English letter 'A'.

Ce n'est pas vrai et ce n'est pas important.

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