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Ce bol est vide, et je nettoie l'évier.

Ce bol est vide, et je nettoie l'évier.
This bowl is empty, and I clean the sink.
FromLesson 21inHardcore French

Breakdown of Ce bol est vide, et je nettoie l'évier.

je
I
être
to be
et
and
ce
this
nettoyer
to clean
vide
empty
le bol
the bowl
l'évier
the sink

Questions & Answers about Ce bol est vide, et je nettoie l'évier.

Why is it Ce bol and not Cet bol or Cette bol?

Because bol is masculine singular and starts with a consonant. Use:

  • ce
    • masculine noun starting with a consonant: ce bol
  • cet
    • masculine noun starting with a vowel or mute h: cet évier, cet homme
  • cette
    • feminine noun: cette tasse
  • ces
    • any plural: ces bols, ces tasses
Can I say Le bol est vide instead of Ce bol est vide?
Yes. Le bol est vide states “the bowl is empty” (a specific, known bowl). Ce bol est vide points to “this/that bowl” and is a bit more demonstrative.
Why not say C’est vide?
C’est vide literally means “It/this is empty,” but without a clear referent it feels vague or impersonal. If you’re talking about a specific bowl you can see, French prefers either repeating the noun (Ce bol est vide) or using a pronoun that clearly refers back to it (Il est vide, once the bowl is established).
Could I use Il est vide to refer to the bowl?
Yes, as long as the antecedent is clear from the context. After you’ve mentioned the bowl, you can say Il est vide (masculine pronoun for bol).
What exactly does l’évier mean? Is it the same as lavabo?
  • évier = kitchen sink.
  • lavabo = bathroom sink. So je nettoie l’évier implies the kitchen sink. For the bathroom, say je nettoie le lavabo.
Do I have to use an article before évier? Why not just say “je nettoie évier”?

In French you normally need a determiner before a singular countable noun. Say:

  • je nettoie l’évier (the sink)
  • je nettoie un évier (a sink)
  • je nettoie mon évier (my sink)
  • je nettoie cet évier (this sink)
Why is there an apostrophe in l’évier?
It’s elision: le + évier → l’évier because évier begins with a vowel sound. French elides le/la/je/te/me/se/ne/de/que before vowel or mute h (e.g., l’ami, j’aime, c’est l’hôtel).
How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

Approximate IPA: [sə bɔl ɛ vid | e ʒə nɛtwa levje]

  • Ce [sə] (like “suh”)
  • bol [bɔl] (short o, not like English “bowl”)
  • est [ɛ] (the t is silent unless there’s liaison before a vowel)
  • vide [vid] (final e mute, d pronounced)
  • et [e] (no t sound)
  • je [ʒə]
  • nettoie [nɛtwa]
  • l’évier [levje]
How do I express the English -ing idea “I’m cleaning the sink” in French?
French usually uses the simple present: Je nettoie l’évier can mean “I clean/I’m cleaning.” To insist on the ongoing action, use: Je suis en train de nettoyer l’évier.
How is nettoyer conjugated, and why is it je nettoie and not “je nettoye”?

Present tense:

  • je nettoie, tu nettoies, il/elle nettoie
  • nous nettoyons, vous nettoyez
  • ils/elles nettoient Spelling rule: verbs in -oyer/-uyer change y → i before mute endings (-e, -es, -ent): hence nettoie/nettoient, not “nettoye.”
Does vide agree with gender and number?

Yes.

  • Masculine singular: vide — Ce bol est vide.
  • Feminine singular: vide — Cette tasse est vide.
  • Plural (m/f): vides — Ces bols sont vides. / Ces tasses sont vides. Pronunciation stays [vid]; the plural -s is silent.
Is the comma before et correct here?
French typically omits a comma before et when joining two clauses. Many would write: Ce bol est vide et je nettoie l’évier. A comma can appear for a deliberate pause or special rhythm, but it’s not needed.
Is there any liaison in this sentence?
  • est vide: no liaison (the next word starts with consonant v).
  • et je: no liaison; et never makes liaison.
  • l’évier: that’s elision, not liaison. Example where liaison would occur: est inutile → [ɛ tinytɪl] (a [t] sound appears).
Why not j’nettoie?
Je only elides to j’ before a vowel or mute h: j’écris, j’habite. Since nettoie begins with the consonant sound [n], you must keep je: je nettoie.
Should I use nettoyer, laver, or something else?
  • nettoyer = to clean (general; remove dirt/grease) → most natural for a sink.
  • laver = to wash (with water/soap), also fine: laver l’évier.
  • récurer = to scour/scrub vigorously (when it’s really dirty).
  • dégraisser = to degrease (remove grease). Choose based on how intensive the cleaning is.
Is bol definitely the right word for “bowl”?

Yes for a typical cereal/soup bowl. Alternatives:

  • saladier = large serving bowl (salad bowl)
  • cul-de-poule = mixing bowl
  • coupe = decorative/serving cup/bowl shape
  • gamelle = dish/bowl for animals (informal)
Can the present tense also mean a near-future plan?
Yes. Context can make Je nettoie l’évier mean “I’m cleaning the sink (soon).” For clarity about near future, prefer Je vais nettoyer l’évier; for a scheduled plan, you can also use the simple future Je nettoierai l’évier.
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“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.).

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