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C'est un puits de vingt mètres de profondeur.

C'est un puits de vingt mètres de profondeur.
It is a well twenty meters deep.
From Lesson 437:Physical dimensions (de ... de long)·French

Questions & Answers about C'est un puits de vingt mètres de profondeur.

Why does French use profondeur (depth) instead of profond (deep) here?
This sentence follows the standard French pattern for physical dimensions: Noun + de + measurement + de + dimension noun. While English says 'twenty meters deep' (using an adjective), French naturally uses the noun form profondeur (depth) at the end of this specific structure.
Can I reword this using the adjective profond instead?
Yes! If you want to use the adjective profond, the word order changes. You would say C'est un puits profond de vingt mètres. The adjective goes right after the noun it describes, followed by de and the measurement.
Is the word puits plural here because it ends in an s?
No, puits (well) is singular here, as shown by the article un. It naturally ends in an s in its singular form. Because of this, it is invariable, meaning the spelling stays exactly the same in the plural (des puits). Note that the t and s at the end are both completely silent!
Why do we use C'est instead of Il est to say 'It is'?
We use C'est because it introduces a modified noun phrase that starts with a determiner (un puits...). You would only use Il est if you were following it immediately with a plain adjective, for example: Il est profond.

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