Learn French: Ce cristal est opaque et compact, je le sais. - This crystal is opaque and compact, I know it.

Ce cristal est opaque et compact, je le sais.

This crystal is opaque and compact, I know it.

Breakdown of Ce cristal est opaque et compact, je le sais.

Questions & Answers about Ce cristal est opaque et compact, je le sais.

The current lesson is about using c'est for generalizations. Why does this sentence use Ce cristal est instead of Ce cristal, c'est?

The structure c'est plus an invariable adjective is used to make general statements about a whole category, like Le cristal, c'est fragile (Crystal is fragile). Here, we are describing one specific, physical object (Ce cristal), so we use the standard subject and verb, and the adjectives must agree with that specific noun.

In the phrase je le sais, what exactly does the pronoun le replace?

Here, le is a neutral direct object pronoun that refers back to the entire preceding fact (Ce cristal est opaque et compact). It translates to 'it' in the sense of 'I know that fact.' When replacing a whole idea or clause rather than a specific noun, French always uses the masculine singular le.

Could I say je sais ça instead of je le sais here?

Yes, je sais ça (I know that) is very common in everyday spoken French and means almost the exact same thing. However, je le sais is slightly more elegant and tightly connects to the specific fact just mentioned, which fits perfectly in written or careful speech.

How do the adjectives opaque and compact change if we describe a feminine noun instead?