A question for French/French-speaking people

[jas]

When do you use "c'est" for it is, and when do you use "il est"/"elle est"? This baffles me. Is there a set rule or do people just wing it?
It's funny, you don't realise how complicated your own language is until you learn a new one. Of course, as a Brit, being bilingual or, horror of horrors, multilingual, is entirely an alien concept to me, but what can I say? I'm rebelling against the system and mutilating a new language.

Thanks in advance.

[henrah]

Il est or elle est is he or she is, il being he and elle being she. Though they can also be used for groups of people, il being used if there's one or more males, and elle being used if it's all female.

At least this is what I can remember from my GCSE french which happened more than two years ago. Anyone able to confirm or deny my knowledge?
Henrah

[jas]

Il est or elle est is he or she is, il being he and elle being she. Though they can also be used for groups of people, il being used if there's one or more males, and elle being used if it's all female.

At least this is what I can remember from my GCSE french which happened more than two years ago. Anyone able to confirm or deny my knowledge?
Henrah

Sorry, I wasn't very clear in my post. What I meant was, when would you use "il est"/"elle est" for "it is", and when would you use "c'est"? I know the difference between "il est" and "elle est", it's just that I don't know when you'd use them for "it is".

Hope that clarifies!

[lau]

one of the il and elle is mean't for if your talking about a male and one about a female, i think. i think elle is for females. and you use c'est if you don't really care cause it's a stupid rule anyway.

[jas]

one of the il and elle is mean't for if your talking about a male and one about a female, i think. i think elle is for females. and you use c'est if you don't really care cause it's a stupid rule anyway.

I know that "il" is male and "elle" is female, and that "ils" and "elles" are plural. What I'm trying to find out is this:
To say "it is" you can use "c'est", eg. "C'est magnifique". But you can also use "il/elle est", eg. "il est trois heure". I'm wondering how you know when to use c'est and when to use il/elle est (I mean il/elle est as a group). I know that c'est is more impersonal but there seems to be some overlap.

Does that clear it up?

[lau]

il est would be "he is".... what's so freaking confusing? And only use C'est when saying it is, who cares if it's a male or female

[canardroti]

use "Il est" for "it is", whenever you need to use it as a demonstrative term.
If you're talking about a painting or an object ( that's masculin)" Il est magnifique".
"c'est" for "it is" has more of a General conotation to it . " c'est magnifique"

And when talking about people , just " il est , elle est"

Does that help? I  don't know, that's a good question.

[poltergeist]

ooo la la!

[jas]

il est would be "he is".... what's so freaking confusing? And only use C'est when saying it is, who cares if it's a male or female

Oh, for god's sake. I think that if anyone's confused here, it's probably you. I know that il est = he is! That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking when you'd use it (or elle est) for "it is", which is sometimes done, I just don't know when.

use "Il est" for "it is", whenever you need to use it as a demonstrative term.
If you're talking about a painting or an object ( that's masculin)" Il est magnifique".
"c'est" for "it is" has more of a General conotation to it . " c'est magnifique"

This is what I was looking for. Thanks for your help, it's a bit clearer now. I suppose I'll just need to practice.

Jas

[henrah]

Masculin and feminine always confused me in French. I always found it hard figuring out what's masculin and what's feminine when shown various objects.

[jspash]

jas, if you just beginning to learn French, i HIGHLY RECOMMEND the audio course by Michel Thomas. https://www.michelthomas.com/

"No books. No writing. No drills. And nothing to memorize--ever!" (that's from amazon.com)

obviously you can't learn an entire language in 8 hours, but you WILL be able to communicate. and not just recite the alphabet, numbers, and say "give me the red pencil"

[letters]

from my A level french knowledge....

i think that c'est is used when referring to a general "it". C'est quelquefois à cause de.."

Il est is referring to a specific masculine object/ person

elle est is blabla feminine person/object

il est tres joli.

elle est grosse.

[momopi]

Super old thread but I'll reply nevertheless.

C'est =>
+ noun, including modified nouns
+ proper noun
+ disjunctive pronoun
+ dates
+ an infinitive as subject
+ adjective for non-specific referents

il/elle est =>
+ adjective alone
+ nationality, occupation, religion (used as adjectives in French)

il(s) and elle(s) >specific person or thing.
Ce = that

Hope that helps

[lucylucy]

momopi : pfouu u say a lot of things for nothing sorry but oO
"c'est" is just it is, and we use it like english use "it is".
il est : he is
elle est : she is.
that's it don't search more complicated