Log inSign up

Le ciel est sombre.

Le ciel est sombre.
The sky is dark.
FromLesson 15inHardcore French
……

Breakdown of Le ciel est sombre.

être
to be
sombre
dark
le ciel
the sky
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning French

Master French — from Le ciel est sombre to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning French freeBrowse the full course

More from this lesson

entraînerJe m'entraîne dans le parc.le gymnaseJe m’entraîne dans le gymnase avant de rentrer à la maison.Hier, j’avais déjà couru dans le gymnase lorsque tu as envoyé ton message.l'horlogeL'horloge est cassée.indiquer

Questions & Answers about Le ciel est sombre.

What is the grammatical structure of "Le ciel est sombre"?
The sentence follows a straightforward French structure: subject ("Le ciel"), linking verb ("est"), and predicate adjective ("sombre"). This mirrors the English equivalent, “The sky is dark.”
Why is the definite article "Le" used, and why is "ciel" considered masculine?
"Le" is the masculine singular definite article in French. The noun ciel (meaning "sky") is classified as masculine, so the article must agree with the noun’s gender. In French, articles are essential for indicating gender and number.
What role does the adjective "sombre" play in this sentence?
"Sombre" serves as a predicate adjective that describes the subject, le ciel. It follows the linking verb est to indicate the state or quality of the sky—namely, that it is dark or gloomy.
Why is the adjective positioned after the verb "est" rather than directly before "ciel"?
In French, adjectives that are used in a predicate structure (after a linking verb like être) are placed after the verb. This contrasts with certain adjectives that may come before nouns in other contexts. Here, sombre follows est to describe the state of le ciel.
How should the words "ciel" and "sombre" be correctly pronounced in French?
Ciel is typically pronounced as /sjɛl/ (roughly “see-el”), while sombre is pronounced as /sɔ̃bʁ/—with a nasalized vowel in the first syllable and a soft, sometimes slightly rolled “r” at the end. Pronunciation may vary slightly with regional accents.
Can "sombre" be replaced with another adjective without altering the sentence structure?
Yes, you can substitute sombre with another adjective, provided it agrees in gender and number with ciel. For example, "Le ciel est gris" (The sky is gray) maintains the same subject-verb-predicate adjective structure.