Breakdown of C'est le meilleur comédien que nous ayons à ce casting !
être
to be
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
avoir
to have
ce
this (before a noun)
Questions & Answers about C'est le meilleur comédien que nous ayons à ce casting !
Why is the verb avoir in the subjunctive (ayons) instead of the present indicative (avons)?
This is the core rule of your current lesson! The subjunctive is triggered by the superlative phrase le meilleur (the best). When you use strong, absolute phrases like the best, the worst, or the only, French uses the subjunctive to show that this is a subjective opinion or a truth based entirely on your personal experience.
Is it ever grammatically correct to use avons instead of ayons here?
Yes, sometimes native speakers use the indicative (avons) if they want to frame the statement as a cold, undeniable fact rather than a subjective opinion. However, at your current level, it is highly recommended to stick to using the subjunctive after superlatives like le meilleur, le pire, or le plus.
Why does the sentence use C'est for "He is" instead of Il est?
Is a comédien strictly someone who acts in comedies?