Question 1

What does Ce qui est important, c’est l’effort literally mean in English?

Accepted Answer

It literally means “What is important is effort.” The French structure Ce qui introduces a clause equivalent to English “what” in “what is important.”

Question 2

Why do we use ce qui instead of ce que here?

Accepted Answer

Ce qui is used when the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb in the clause (here est). If it were the object, you’d use ce que. For example: “Ce que je veux” (“what I want”), because je is the subject and ce que is the object of vouloir.

Question 3

Why is there a comma before c’est?

Accepted Answer

The comma separates the subordinate subject clause (Ce qui est important) from the main clause introduced by c’est. It helps the reader parse the sentence: you first present “what is important,” then you state “it is effort.”

Question 4

What is the role of c’est in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

C’est acts as a copula (the equivalent of “is” in English) that links the subject clause (Ce qui est important) to the predicate (l’effort). In French, when a clause or infinitive functions as the subject, you often use c’est to introduce the verb and its complement.

Question 5

Why do we say l’effort with the definite article le?

Accepted Answer

French uses the definite article when speaking of something in an abstract or general sense. Saying l’effort rather than just effort conveys that effort in general is important, not one specific effort.

Question 6

Could you rephrase the sentence without ce qui… c’est?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can say “L’effort est important.” That is more direct and formal: “Effort is important.” The original version with ce qui… c’est puts special emphasis on defining what “important” really refers to.

Question 7

Is this construction common in French?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You’ll see Ce qui… c’est (and its counterpart Ce que… c’est) frequently in spoken and written French when the speaker wants to define or highlight an abstract concept:  
- Ce qui me plaît, c’est la musique.  
- Ce que j’aime, c’est chanter.

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