Learn Hardcore French: Cette étape est difficile.

Cette is the feminine singular form of the demonstrative adjective in French. Since étape is a feminine noun, cette is used to mean “this” or “that.”

What does the noun étape mean and why is it feminine?

Étape means “step” (or “stage”) in English. It is inherently feminine in French, so any adjectives or demonstrative pronouns referring to it must match its feminine form.

Why does the adjective difficile remain unchanged even though it describes a feminine noun?

Many French adjectives, including difficile, have the same form for both masculine and feminine singular. In this case, there’s no need for a change; the adjective agrees with étape by context rather than by altering its form.

What is the grammatical function of est in this sentence?

Est is the third-person singular present tense form of être (“to be”). It acts as the linking verb connecting the subject cette étape to the adjective difficile, which describes it.

How could this sentence be transformed into a question in French?

There are a couple of common ways. One is to use est-ce que at the beginning: Est-ce que cette étape est difficile ? Another method is to use subject-verb inversion: Cette étape est-elle difficile ? Both forms are correct and commonly used in French.