Paul est mon ami.

Paul is my friend.

Breakdown of Paul est mon ami.

• être: to be
• Paul: Paul
• mon: my
• l'ami: the friend

Questions & Answers about Paul est mon ami.

Why do we say mon ami and not ma ami?

In French, ami is a masculine noun, so you use mon (my) instead of ma (my). If the friend were female, you would write amie, but because it starts with a vowel sound (a), French uses mon amie (not ma amie) to maintain a smooth flow of speech.

Why do we use est here instead of something else?

Est is the third-person singular form of the verb être (to be). It literally translates to is in English. So Paul est mon ami means Paul is my friend.

What is the difference between ami and amie?

Ami is the masculine form of the word friend, and amie is the feminine form. If you’re talking about a male friend, use ami; if you’re referring to a female friend, use amie.

Is it okay to say Paul, c’est mon ami?

Yes, that’s completely acceptable and very common in spoken French. It would still mean Paul is my friend, but using c’est places more emphasis on presenting or introducing Paul as your friend.