Learn French: Il s'agit d'un problème difficile. - It is about a difficult problem.

Il s'agit d'un problème difficile.

It is about a difficult problem.

Breakdown of Il s'agit d'un problème difficile.

it is about, it is a matter of

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Questions & Answers about Il s'agit d'un problème difficile.

Why do we use il s'agit here instead of c'est?

The expression il s'agit de translates to 'it is a matter of' or 'it is about'. It is used to describe the core subject or nature of a situation. If you just wanted to say 'It is a difficult problem' (identifying the thing directly), you would use c'est and say C'est un problème difficile.

Can I use ce instead of il and say ce s'agit de?

No, s'agir is an impersonal verb. This means it can only ever be conjugated with the impersonal pronoun il (meaning 'it' in a general sense, like in 'it is raining'). You can never use ce, elle, or any other pronoun as the subject for this expression.

Where does the d' come from before un problème?

The complete fixed expression is il s'agit de. Because the following word (un) starts with a vowel sound, the e in de is dropped and replaced with an apostrophe. This type of contraction is mandatory in French.

Why is the adjective difficile placed after problème?