C'est un chat.

It is a cat.

Breakdown of C'est un chat.

• être: to be
• le chat: the cat

Questions & Answers about C'est un chat.

Why do we say C'est instead of Il est?

C'est uses ce (meaning “this” or “that”) to identify or point something out. In this sentence, we’re identifying the animal as a cat. If you said Il est (“He is”), it would often be followed by an adjective or occupation rather than just naming the noun.

Why do we use un instead of une?

Because chat is a masculine noun in French, so it takes the masculine indefinite article un. If you were talking about a feminine noun (like une souris, “a mouse”), you would use une.

How do we pronounce chat?

Even though it’s spelled chat, the final t is silent. It’s pronounced roughly like sha.

Can I say Il est un chat?

Typically, no. When naming a person or thing, French uses the construction C’est + article + noun. Il est + noun is not standard unless you omit the article and treat the noun like a profession or characteristic, for example Il est médecin (“He is a doctor”), but never Il est un médecin.

Is C'est un chat a complete sentence in French?

Yes. C'est (short for cela est) acts as the subject and verb, and un chat is the complement. So it effectively says “It/This is a cat” and is considered a complete sentence in French.