Practise your French C'est VS Il est

In this episode of Alexa's 'Practise Your French' series, Alexa explains the difference between "C'est" and "Il est"!
Bisou Bisou 💋
Support us and get exclusive member benefits: / @learnfrenchwithalexa
----------------------------------------------
TAKE YOUR FRENCH TO THE NEXT LEVEL
My French Course ► learnfren.ch/home
Test Yourself ► learnfren.ch/test
My KZbin ► learnfren.ch/Yo...
My Blog ► learnfren.ch/blog
Support me on Patreon ► learnfren.ch/p...
My Spotify ► learnfren.ch/Sp...
----------------------------------------------
GET SOCIAL WITH ALEXA AND HER STUDENTS
Instagram ► learnfren.ch/Insta
TikTok ► learnfren.ch/Ti...
Facebook ► learnfren.ch/FACE
KZbin Community ► learnfren.ch/YT...
Twitter ► learnfren.ch/t...
LinkedIn ► learnfren.ch/l...
Newsletter ► learnfrenchwit...
'Practice your French' Facebook Group ► learnfren.ch/Fr...
----------------------------------------------
SHOP ALEXA'S RECOMMENDATIONS & MERCHANDISE
Alexa's Recommendations ► www.amazon.co....
Merch ► lfwa-merch.cre...
T-shirts ► shop.spreadshi...
----------------------------------------------
MORE ABOUT LEARN FRENCH WITH ALEXA'S 'HOW TO SPEAK' FRENCH VIDEO LESSONS
Alexa Polidoro is a real French teacher with many years experience of teaching French to adults and children at all levels. People from all over the world enjoy learning how to speak French with Alexa's popular online video and audio French lessons. They're fun, friendly and stress-free! It's like she's actually sitting there with you, helping you along... Your very own personal French tutor.
Please Like, Share and Subscribe if you enjoyed this video.
Merci et Bisou Bisou xx
----------------------------------------------
Ready to take your French to the next level?
Visit ► learnfren.ch/test to try out Alexa's popular French courses.

[@phoener]

Alexa, yours are my favorite videos! I rebelled against learning French in my youth, but now, bien agée, I am returning to my father's French roots. My studies have been mostly independent, but whenever there's a topic that doesn’t quite “click,” I turn to your videos for understanding. You have a marvelous way of simplifying and clarifying French. If only KZbin had been around in the Moyen Age....

[@dougjackson7551]

I' agree with you phoener. KZbin would have been so helpful back then. Wasn't much interested in French in high school but now I am. My father was a French Canadian but did not teach us his language , as my mother was not and he thought it would be easier for us to only learn English. Now that I'm retired and he's long gone I'm trying to embrace my French roots. Nice to know I'm not the only one who started late.

[@phoener]

@@dougjackson7551 we have similar backgrounds! The only French Dad taught us was the “naughty” stuff.

Merci beaucoup Alexa. Encore une excellente leçon ! La pratique est essentielle pour un bon apprentissage du français. Tes explications sont claires et agréables à suivre. Merci beaucoup pour tes vidéos toujours intéressantes et instructives.

[@barnealevi]

always clear, always useful always tackling what confuses people and clarifying

[@miriamcorrea8510]

I think all your followers should make you a statue so that you are always remembered for a good teacher and for all your hard work and dedication. You are helping me a lot to understand and learn French. eternally grateful, Miriam😘💃.

[@learnfrenchwithalexa]

Bonjour Miriam, I can't wait to see the statue :)

[@miriamcorrea8510]

@@learnfrenchwithalexa hahahaha🤭😉😘

[@ngocziep6886]

Merci beaucoup, Alexa. J'ai étudié le français a l'école Annex 18 ans devant. J'ai oublié presque tout. Mai j'habite au Canada maintenant, je trouve que la capacité de parler français on donne plus de chance de réussir ici. Alors, J'essaye de revoir le français en regardant votre vidéo. Elles sont très utiles.

[@mscookesville]

I'm studying A1 and this has been a massive help to me.

[@nidhipuri24]

Merci beacoup Madame! Votre methode d'enseignement est vraiment incroyable. Vous rendez les cours agreables! :)

[@quebecker3799]

Merci beaucoup!!! You do such a great job explaining the difference.

[@TheWriterWalker]

You look nice in the thumbnail, Madame! Recently, I have been learning future and past tenses from one of your early playlists. Thank you so much for being such a good teacher.

[@StudioNetcom]

C'est, s'est, sais/sait. "C'est" is a contraction of "cela est" "S'est" is a contraction of "se est" in the sense of "soi-même être". Sais/sait is the verb "savoir" (to know) conjugated to the 1st/2nd and 3rd person singular of the present tense.

[@TheJayWay101]

No... c'est: ce est. Cela can't be follow by être.

[@StudioNetcom]

@@TheJayWay101 cela n'est pas tout à fait exacte...

[@YangSing1]

I thought it’d be “Elle est une excellente musicienne” since “Elle” means “She” and we’re referring to Nicole. I didn’t know “C’est” can also mean “She is”

[@Ali-jc2fy]

me too!! (:

[@thestoryteller611]

That's a problem

[@JV-kk9ku]

"Elle est une excellente musicienne" is correct, but in spoken French we rather use "C'est"

[@doraledesma9248]

I think because it's followed by the artical "une".

[@chetansingh8234]

Moi aussi

[@mauricioyepez6101]

Merci beaucoup Alexa. Encore une excellente leçon.

[@lesheinen6116]

Yet another video which serves nothing but to crush my dreams of ever learning this language. Add this to que/qui, ce que/ce qui, subjunctive tense and stir in the masc/fem nouns and adjectives with a dash or two of Y/En and you have a concoction only rivaled by that served up in the "Dentistry Cabinet" of the Fort Boyard game show. I think there are two groups of people.....Those who easily grasp math/science and those that grasp languages and I obviously am part of the first group. Alexa does a marvelous job in presenting difficult topics.....I have watched most of her videos. I wish everyone well!!

[@JL-qt1nb]

Don't get discouraged. You can do it :)

[@jigar.shah5]

Great video, merci :) But quick question : Why does ils sont mes amis d'enfance not sound right? Why ce sont?

[@allthingsfrench1391]

Ils sont is they are Ce sont is these are..which is how she presented the sentence.

[@whoami3694]

I was also wondering the same thing mes amis doesn't have article

[@cantimbandoi]

At first, Alexa said that following C'est is Masculine singular noun. But why in the 2nd sentence the answer is C'est une excellente musicienne?

[@nidaaff]

We are referring to the article there, when there is no article you look at the adjective.

[@nidaaff]

We are referring to the article, when there is no article we refer to the adjective.

[@JV-kk9ku]

C'est is neutral, it is translated by "That is"

[@micahia_valton8806]

This really help me with school work

[@amritajeremiah]

Je te presente Francesca. Elle est italienne. C'est une très bonne chanteuse. Mon père donne des cours à l'université. Il est prof de sciences. J'adore le café. C'est ma boisson préférée. Les trains ne sont jamais à l'heure. C'est inacceptable!

[@Leviwosc]

C'est une super video! Grace à toi j'ai appris comment je dois utiliser « c'est » et « il est ». Merci beaucoup!

[@learnfrenchwithalexa]

Très bien! 🥰

[@joyjayantichatterjee7940]

For the fourth question-given that we are referring to two specific people, why is it not "ils sont"? Merci beaucoup.

[@ngochuongphan7778]

Thank you so much, Alexa. I love all your videos. They are really helpful.

[@bhatt200405]

Thanks mam ,your teaching method is simply great 🙏🙂😊

[@nidaaff]

I'm confused with the 4th one, why can't we use il sont in place of ce sont. There's also no article to use ce sont. Please reply.

[@habooon]

Dear Alex Thank you for your help with this great video

[@ricardosantiagoromerodaria5841]

Maintenant, je comprends très bien a la fin avec une anglaise professeur. Je suis espagnol

[@thevault9462]

Thx a lot!!!! This helped me soooo much in my French test!!!

[@mansuramohd.9770]

You r the best teacher in the world trust me

[@Monga87]

Thank you Alexa for everything you teach us! I have a question that is messing with my head: You said "C'est" is followed by an adjective in the masculine singular form. But you write "c'est" in the sentence "..... une excellent musicienne", which is feminine singular form. Why?

[@jagodadyjecinska1422]

I am confused with this one too

[@shaikmahamadismail7676]

cest is followed by article

[@juanoquendo]

It should be "Elle est" because we are referring to Nicole. You wouldn't say "it is" but instead "She is". Alexa is awesome though.

[@sisamarketing5204]

Hello from the Philippines

[@harshbathija7229]

I'm still not clear with the forth example. Why can't we use ils sont? If I'm not wrong ils sont = they are & ce sont = these are

[@MrMenonskm]

" Best French Teacher ". 😍😍😍 Alexa Ma'am you teach excellent French bcs of u, I learnt French in 5 days....😊😊. Merci.... Myself Gayathri Au revoir 🖐🏻🖐🏻✌️✌️

[@taniahernandez3021]

Merci!

[@rofsjan]

Alexa, what a nice background decoration. C'est beau, comme á Paris. Or to be more specific: Il est beau. Merci pour la lecon.

[@Jerry-uc1pn]

Damn! this lesson was excellent i learnes so much because the rules for using c’est and il est were clearly defined

[@thomashughes4859]

3:06 - J'adore cet exemple !

[@kindWatermelon-kn1rl]

Bonjour ! J'ai une problème. At 05:09 you say that c'est should be followed by an adjective in the masculine singular form and yet at 14:54 you use c'est in c'est une belle ville when belle is féminine ???

[@JV-kk9ku]

In romance languages neutral gender doesn't exist, so to identify this one we use the masculine gender : Il fait beau : the weather is nice. C'est doux ! : It's sweet ! If you say "C'est une belle ville", "C'est" is the equivalent of "It is".

[@xpuhlode1]

Bonjour Alexa, joyeuses fetes! Excellent content, you are a great educator! Question: using your example of “Nicole est pianiste. C’est une excellente musicienne.” I’m confused as to why one can say “Je suis un excellent musicien, tu es une excellente musicienne” but then we can’t say “elle est une excellente musicienne”? Or can you in a certain context?

[@ziaahmadzai5067]

Merci pour votre travail acharné Je viens d'Afghanistan mais je vis ici à Paris Merci pour vos vidéos utiles J'ai beaucoup appris❤❤

[@MiCa-zd8iq]

Ms Alexa, may I ask a question: “Il est beau “ , “ c’est beau” which one is correct ?

[@kratheesh6001]

c'est beau (incorrect) .. cela beau ....

[@user-is5px2vc3m]

Faire une video sur le sujet < Les mots de la meme Familles >, s'il vous plait.

[@manjurangra56469]

Well youvare becoming more glamorous I have followed you for nearly 10 yrs wow

[@marthinesgibbins3397]

Hi Alexa super lesson !merci👌

[@Dariya300]

C’est vrais que c’est interdit d’utiliser noms determinative depuis de “elle est\il est” (c’est une personne bonne, pas elle est personne bonne), pars que les français voient que c’est presentation, pas catègorisation ? Ou a-t-il autre raison pour ça? Pardonnez-moi pour mes erreurs dans ma question)

[@yaminbasil5730]

7:29

[@Subscribe-Share-]

1- elle est italienne , c'est une très bonne chanteuse 2-il est prof. 3- il est ma boisson préférée 4- c'est inacceptable! Right????

[@MsTD1995]

oui

[@claire154]

For number 3 wouldn't be Elle est?

[@user-bp6dq9yw2f]

Bonjour Alexa-Merci beaucoup pour ce video de pratique. C'etait tre''s utile pour moi afin de reviser "les C'est vs Il est.". A' propos le bonne nouvelles est que je suis rentre'es apprendre avec Kwiziq. Ci -desous J'ai attache' ma experience de parler avec un homme fracophone {que je l'ai e'crit}:-Le Canadien - une histoire courte. Hier, quand j'étais au centre commercial Caroline (notre voisin, Ernie, m'a emmené car il avait quelque chose à faire là-bas et mon mari n'avait pas envie de sortir). Un jeune homme s'est soudainement approché de moi et a commencé à parler de recherche sur le cancer et de dons. Il s’est presente’ : « Je m’appelle Drake. » Il m'a demandé si je travaillais et j'ai répondu que je suis une femme au foyer et un soignant pour mon mari Michael. Puis nous avons commencé à discuter sur les pays en dehors de l'Australie. J'ai remarqué qu'il n'avait pas de Accent australien; Je n’ai ni l’un ni l’autre. Mon accent est toujours israélien et certains Les gens pensent que c'est un accent français. En tout cas je lui ai demandé s'il était américain, Et il a dit qu'il était canadien à l'origine. Alors j'ai souri et dit: vous êtes Parler français alors? Il a dit en souriant: "coupable selon les accusations." J'étais tellement heureux avoir la chance de parler avec un autre «francophone» et nous avons donc commencé bavarder en français. Il m'a rappelé ma belle-soeur Marc. Il était très impressionné par ma connaissance du français et le fait que Je fais un effort pour apprendre cette belle langue et la parler. Puis on a parlé A propos de l’apprentissage des langues et de la manière dont elles améliorent votre mémoire et Portes ouvertes sur le monde extérieur, sans parler de nouveaux amis. Nous avons tous deux convenu que l'apprentissage des langues sur you tube est bien meilleur que les livres ennuyeux. Je lui ai dit à quel point KwiziqFrench est formidable pour apprendre le français. Ce fut mon expérience positive d’avoir eu l’occasion de parler avec un autre francophone.

[@thevault9462]

Wow

[@ToluwalojuJawando]

Tres bien et merci

[@cabdinasir4247]

Merci madame🙏❤️

[@gayathrishriram6280]

Thanks for your classes. I have a question. Which is correct C'est sont mes amis OR Ces sont mes Amis?

[@JeremiahTatola]

Loving the hair!!! ❤️ thanks for another great video!

[@chaitalisdancestudio5367]

Hi Alexa🖐you are an amazing teacher and my favourite online french teacher..🙂

[@learnfrenchwithalexa]

Hi Chaitali 👋 thank you so much!!

[@jorgeluis9175]

Bonjour! j'ai des questions : How about the possesive adjectives ? There is an example with: C'est sont mes amis, but Can I say ç'est ma amie ? as: It is my friend and Can I say elle est ma amie aswell ? as: she is my friend. Merci pour votre attention.

[@JV-kk9ku]

You will say "C'est MON amie" because before a vowem or a vowel sound MA will be turned in "MON" : Mon amie, mon héroïne = my friend, my hero (both feminine) BUT before a pronounced H it will be MA : ma hache = my axe (feminine)

[@jorgeluis9175]

@@JV-kk9ku Merci Beaucoup I haven´t seen that before!!

[@clc5369]

Thanks, Alexa. A Question: It says "• C’est is followed by an article + noun, an adjective in the masculine singular form or a proper noun." One of the exercises says: "Nicole est pianiste. C’est une excellente musicienne." Could we add "an adjective in the feminine singular form"?

[@whibla4738]

This confused the heck out of me too, until I realised the example you mention falls into the "article + noun" category (une + musicienne). There's nothing to say we can't add further adjectives to describe the noun, but, of course, the form (number and gender) of these must agree with the noun. To be clear, the example is not in the 'an adjective' category (as one of the three categories described at the beginning), even though it contains an adjective, because it contains an article and a noun. Clear? :P

[@meditation-bagdad3462]

Merci beaucoup

[@micheleterrett4680]

How do I find the support guides? I have just subscribed to the you tube videos. Merci

[@omrannora4371]

I love French avec Alexa

[@bobanjose186]

Merci..

[@susanaelisaortega8937]

Ohh I love her. Anybody knows the program that she uses to edit the videos ? 🙏

[@learnfrenchwithalexa]

Hi! We use Final Cut Pro 😋

[@RockieAtlas]

In example 5 you used c'est even though it has belle after this. But I thought c'est can only be with masculine singular adjective?

[@nidaaff]

We are referring to the article, when no article refer to the adjective.

[@StudioNetcom]

Nah, gender doesn't matter. Singular/plural does though. C'est (singular) Ce sont (plural)

[@joannetemple7337]

Love your new look Alexa👌

[@ankitaagarwal2807]

Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo...

[@pankajsakhuja735]

Good

[@MumtazAhmed-2024]

Merci.😊😊😊

[@hiongun]

by far the best

[@bobgade6733]

So.... Basically c'est is like it's, and Il est is more it is? But more when a proper noun or an adjective more than whenever you want to like in English?

[@jodiel.7843]

Sorry I don't understand. Why do we use ce sont instead of ils sont for "____ mes amis d'enfance"

[@precisdiary3788]

Hello Alexa, je m’appelle precieux Thank you for your lessons, I enjoy your classes a lot. I have already subscribed to your channel, how else can I join your live videos and support guide please?

[@poe12]

Whynt use plural for ce... Ceux sont?

[@StudioNetcom]

That's an excellent question that even I, as a native speaker, can't answer that.

[@habooon]

Can you tell me how to get the answers if you don’t mind

[@confrontation643]

Alexa ghost is watching your every lesson Ghost is appreciating about your teaching style

[@trinashinead]

is Paris not a specific place? im confused.. is it because of une article? thank you!

[@patriciavaldoz8223]

I got confused with Voici Tom et Marie. I thought Ce sont is used for something general. But in this case, it is specifically Tom and Marie. Help

[@kindWatermelon-kn1rl]

That's what i think too. Maybe as ce sont means these are, it is being used here

[@JV-kk9ku]

"C'est" is used to describe something general : C'est comme ça que ça fonctionne = That is the way it works. And also to talk about one object or person : "C'est ma mère là-bas" : That's my mother right there ! But "Ce sont" will be used to introduce or showing several objects or persons : "Ce sont mes chiens : These are my dogs" "Ce sont" will be linked to "formal" speach : C'est mes amis : That's my friends = familiar Ce sont mes amis : They are my friends = formal or correct

[@ngocziep6886]

Vous êtes une excellente professeur!

[@rtehcs000]

The second example has left me confused in an otherwise clear lesson. The sentence is talking about Nicole so it stands to reason that “She is (Elle est) “ an excellent musician (une excellente musicienne) is correct and not “C’est.” Using C’est doesn’t make sense to me at all.

[@ahmedal-rubaii803]

Je vous aime beaucoup

[@thereald0m0xxx21]

Je te présente Francesca. Elle est italienne. C'est une très bonne chanteuse. Il est prof de sciences. C'est ma boisson préférée. Les trains ne sont jamais à l'heure. C'est inacceptable !

[@anilakumari5492]

Madam how do u connect Ur writings n u both on the screen

[@user-qj3wx9bo1d]

Thank you very very much. please can you tell me whats the kind of your tablet, I want to buy one .

[@TheMballat]

vielen Dank, Wunderbar

[@PickAShoe1]

Can someone explain why, “C’est mon frère.” (He is my brother) is correct. But “C’est ma sœur.” (She is my sister) is wrong.

[@mbblmasckrobin]

I don't quite understand the Tom et Marie example. Shouldn't "ce sont" be followed by an article? Why wasn't the answer "ils sont"? Is "mes" considered an article?

[@aylara7238]

Is it correct , for example, if you compliment someone's ring by saying, "C'est joli!"?

[@grouloulle]

Yes.

[@StudioNetcom]

C'est une jolie bague. Elle est jolie, ta bague. Ta bague est jolie. All those would work and be understood. Sorry for creating even more confusion. Lol

[@dikradeeq4499]

Merci 😍😍

[@brujamaladelcuento1]

Justement aujourd'hui je l'ai demandé à mon marie quand j'utilise c'était au il était ....... Merciiiiiiii pour l'explication 😆😆😆

[@motivationalvideo2456]

hi mam, can you tell me when "a" and "est" is used in past sentence?? I am confused. for eg. (she left) ...I translated then " Elle est partie" why not " Elle a partie". please reply mam

[@Gary-pe4ce]

Avoir and être are used in various tenses, passé composé, plus-que-parfait and futur antérieur. From what I'm guessing and you are asking of passé composé. Simpily put if the verb is in the DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP or is any of the reflexive verbs i.e any verbs starting with Se or s' (S'appeler, se souvenir) they use the verb être. All other verbs uses avoir but remember to conjugate to the appropriate subject. Example You dont say j'es allé, you say je suis allé (I went).

[@mr.bhoobaun821]

Je te presente Francesca. Elle est italienne. C'est une tres bonne chanteuse. Mon pere donne des cours a l'universite. Il est prof de sciences. J'adore le cafe. Il est ma boisson preferee. Les trains ne sont jamais a l'heure. C'est inacceptable. Are these correct?

[@StudioNetcom]

Yes, except for the coffee part. C'est ma boisson préféré. In that context, since a boisson isn't a person (or animal), you cannot use "il". Kind of like saying "I love coffee, he's my favorite drink". C'est ma boisson préféré (that's my favorite drink) For the father part, "C'est un prof de science" would also work perfectly.

[@MiCa-zd8iq]

J’aime votre coiffure. C’est beau !

[@natepolidoro4565]

Woah!! My last name is Polidoro too!!

[@joydelotina7560]

Thnks alexa

[@michaelempeigne3519]

does she cover ceci, ci-dessous and other words like this ?

[@user-vt8xn7io6k]

her: "can you say that?" me: .o. "c'es-" her: "er, dont say it" me: ._.

[@malabasu6311]

Vous aide moi pour mes etudes. Merci

[@shaash5236]

Thanks. I don’t understand why it’s Voici Tom et Marie. Ce sont mes.... and not ‘ils sont’

[@JV-kk9ku]

Ils ont means "they have"

[@shaash5236]

Yes I meant ‘ils SONT’ .

[@MumtazAhmed-2024]

Trés bien. Merci beacoup! Alexa .

[@Jinar.o_]

Merci beaucoup alexa

[@marjandavaloo7112]

Excellent ty so much 😍😍😍🙏🙏🙏

[@johnforster6052]

You seem to be talking much faster than previous videos ?

you`re right, maybe she have a date after the lesson :)

[@poojakhanal2098]

Bonjour madam how may I can join in your french cours

[@crissln8654]

Merci beaucoup Alexa

[@stza16]

C’est what?

[@stephcom8133]

I'm a little confused. J'adore Paris, ___________ une belle ville. I thought "C'est" was to be used with MASCULINE singular, but "belle ville" is feminine, right? OR is it "c'est" because "Paris" is masculine?

[@learnfrenchwithalexa]

Bonjour, c'est is followed by an article so just before a noun in this case. Belle is describing the noun here . :)

[@stephcom8133]

@@learnfrenchwithalexa Oh, I see now. Thanks.