C’est or il est? Introduce someone, then describe them

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose c’est, il est or elle est for introductions, jobs and descriptions. Compare examples, practise with picture cards and test the common exceptions.

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In short

Use c’est to introduce someone or identify something: C’est ma collègue. C’est une lampe. Use il est or elle est to describe a person or thing already identified: Elle est française. Elle est petite. For a simple job title, say elle est architecte, with no article.

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When do you use c’est or il est to describe someone?

C’est une architecte.She is an architect.

Focus: presents someone with a noun phrase

C’est ma nouvelle collègue, Nadia.
This is my new colleague, Nadia.

Elle est architecte.She is an architect.

Focus: gives her job, with no article before the unmodified profession

Il est professeur.
He is a teacher.

Elle est patiente.She is patient.

Focus: describes a known person with an agreeing adjective

Il est patient.
He is patient.

Meet Nadia

Une nouvelle collègue
  1. Léo

    Qui est cette femme ?

    Who is that woman?

  2. Inès

    C’est Nadia, ma nouvelle collègue. Elle est architecte.

    That’s Nadia, my new colleague. She’s an architect.

  3. Léo

    Elle est française ?

    Is she French?

  4. Inès

    Non, elle est belge. Elle est très sympathique.

    No, she’s Belgian. She’s very friendly.

  5. Léo

    Et les deux personnes avec elle ?

    And the two people with her?

  6. Inès

    Ce sont ses collègues.

    They’re her colleagues.

Use c’est for a woman as well as a man: c’est Nadia. For plural identification in edited French, use ce sont. Nationality adjectives start with a lowercase letter: française, belge. With a fuller job description, the noun phrase is useful: C’est une excellente architecte.

Identify the object, then describe it

For objects, il and elle follow the French noun’s gender. The lamp is elle because lampe is feminine; the bag is il because sac is masculine. English “it” can therefore become either pronoun.

What other expressions use c’est and il est?

A reaction and the time
UseFrenchEnglish
React to a whole ideaC’est intéressant.That’s interesting.
Describe a named ideaCette idée ? Elle est intéressante.That idea? It’s interesting.
Tell the timeIl est huit heures.It’s eight o’clock.

C’est can take an adjective when you react to a whole activity or situation: Apprendre ensemble, c’est agréable. For a named feminine noun, the adjective agrees with it. Il est huit heures is a time expression to learn as a whole.

Question 1No account needed
Introduce your female colleague.___ ma collègue.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

C’est. C’est introduces the noun phrase ma collègue, including when the person is a woman.

Question 2No account needed
Give Nadia’s job with a personal subject.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Elle est architecte.. A simple, unmodified profession after elle est normally has no article.

Question 3No account needed
Describe the lamp already mentioned.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Elle est petite.. Lampe is feminine singular: use elle and the feminine adjective petite.

Question 4No account needed
React to the idea of learning together.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

C’est agréable.. C’est evaluates the activity as a whole. There is no feminine noun for elle to refer back to.

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