When to use “c’est” or “il/elle est” in French? When and how to use them?

In French, “c’est” is a contraction of “ce” and “est”, meaning “it is”.

It is commonly used to express simple statements and identify people, places, or things. For example:

1. C’est un livre. (It’s a book.)
2. C’est mon ami. (He is my friend.)
3. C’est à Paris que je vis. (I live in Paris.)

On the other hand, “il est” is the third person singular form of “être”, meaning “he is”.

It is used to express the existence, location, or state of a person, place, or thing. For example:

1. Il est français. (He is French.)
2. Il est ici. (He is here.)
3. Il est malade. (He is sick.)

In French, the choice between “c’est” and “il est” depends on the subject being referred to.

If the subject is a pronoun, you would use “il est”.

If the subject is a noun or a more general concept, you would use “c’est”.

It is important to be familiar with French grammar and sentence structure to use “c’est” and “il est” correctly.

©Frenchlanguagebasics.com