Learn Hardcore French: Ce problème est secondaire.

Ce problème est secondaire.
Literally: This problem is secondary. (focus on this specific problem)
C’est un problème secondaire.
Literally: It is a secondary problem. (more generic; the it might refer to something mentioned before)

So:

ce + noun → “this/that + noun”
c’est + noun → “it is / this is + noun” (with an article: un, une, le, etc.)

Why is it ce problème and not cet problème?

French uses different masculine singular demonstratives depending on the sound that follows:

ce
- consonant sound: ce problème, ce livre, ce garçon
cet
- vowel sound or mute h: cet homme, cet arbre, cet ami

Since problème starts with a consonant sound /p/, you must say:

✅ ce problème
❌ cet problème

Could you say ceci est secondaire instead of Ce problème est secondaire?

You could say Ceci est secondaire, but it is:

more abstract: “This is secondary” without naming what this is.
less natural in everyday spoken French. Native speakers rarely use ceci in conversation; they would more often say:
- C’est secondaire.

If you want to be clear and specific (like in the original sentence), Ce problème est secondaire is better because it explicitly names problème.

Why is there no article like un or le before problème?

You don’t need un or le because ce already acts as a determiner (like an article):

un problème = a problem
le problème = the problem
ce problème = this problem

In French, a noun almost always needs one determiner: article (un, le), demonstrative (ce, cette), possessive (mon, ton), etc.
You don’t stack them:

❌ ce le problème
✅ ce problème

Is secondaire an adjective here, and why does it come after problème?

Yes, secondaire is an adjective describing problème.

In French, most adjectives normally come after the noun:

un problème secondaire = a secondary problem
une décision importante = an important decision

Some common adjectives come before the noun (like petit, grand, beau, bon, mauvais, jeune, vieux, etc.), but secondaire is not one of those. It almost always goes after the noun.

So:

✅ Ce problème est secondaire.
❌ Ce secondaire problème. (this sounds wrong/unnatural)

What exactly does secondaire mean here? Is it “second” like deuxième?

Secondaire here means “of secondary importance,” “less important,” “minor.”
It does not mean “second in order” (that would be deuxième or second in some contexts).

So:

Ce problème est secondaire.
→ This problem is of secondary importance / This is a minor issue.

Compare:

le deuxième problème = the second problem (in a list, in time, in order)
un problème secondaire = a secondary / minor problem (importance)

How would this sentence change in the plural or with a feminine noun?

The adjective secondaire agrees in number and gender with the noun, but its written form only changes for plural (by adding -s).

Plural, still masculine:
- Ces problèmes sont secondaires.
  → These problems are secondary.
Feminine singular:
- Cette question est secondaire.
  → This question is secondary.
Feminine plural:
- Ces questions sont secondaires.
  → These questions are secondary.

Notice:

ce / cet / cette change with gender and sound.
secondaire adds -s in the plural: secondaire → secondaires.

What’s the difference between Ce problème est secondaire and C’est un problème secondaire?

Both can translate as “This is a secondary problem” or “This problem is minor”, but the focus is a bit different.

Ce problème est secondaire.
- Emphasis on this particular problem among others.
- More like: This problem, specifically, is secondary.
C’est un problème secondaire.
- Emphasis on the type of problem (it is one kind of problem).
- More like: It is a secondary sort of problem.

In many contexts they’re interchangeable, but:

if you’re contrasting different problems, Ce problème est secondaire highlights which problem you’re talking about.
if you’re identifying/classifying an issue, C’est un problème secondaire sounds more like a description/definition.

How do you pronounce Ce problème est secondaire?

Approximate pronunciation (in IPA and rough English guide):

Ce → /sə/ (like “suh”)
problème → /pʁɔ.blɛm/ (“pro-blem” with a French r and open o like in “pot”)
est → /ɛ/ (like “eh”)
secondaire → /sə.gɔ̃.dɛʁ/
- se- /sə/ (like “suh”)
- -gon- /gɔ̃/ (nasal on sound, a bit like “gong” without the final g)
- -daire /dɛʁ/ (like “dehr”, again with a French r)

No mandatory liaison here between est and secondaire in normal speech; you usually hear:

[sə pʁɔ.blɛm ɛ sə.gɔ̃.dɛʁ]

Could I say Le problème est secondaire instead of Ce problème est secondaire?

Yes, but the nuance changes slightly.

Ce problème est secondaire.
- “This problem is secondary.”
- Deictic: points to a specific problem (the one we’re talking about right now, or in this context).
- Often used when contrasting: This problem is secondary, that one is more serious.
Le problème est secondaire.
- “The problem is secondary.”
- More general: the problem (already known in context).
- Sounds a bit more like a general statement about the issue.

In many real situations both will be understood fine, but ce problème feels more like you’re picking one problem among others and commenting on its importance.

Is Ce problème est secondaire formal, informal, or neutral? Are there more natural alternatives?

Ce problème est secondaire is neutral and works in:

spoken language (normal conversation),
written language (emails, reports, essays),
both informal and formal contexts.

More colloquial or less technical alternatives might be:

Ce problème n’est pas très important.
→ This problem is not very important.
Ce problème est mineur.
→ This problem is minor.
Ce n’est pas un problème prioritaire.
→ This isn’t a priority problem.

But Ce problème est secondaire is perfectly natural and common, especially in any context where you’re ranking or prioritizing issues.