"C'EST" over "IL/ELLE EST" confuse you in French? Watch this.
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
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0:00 I'm talking to you, English-speaker
0:24 Introducing nouns
0:59 Describing inanimate nouns
1:41 Describing people
2:30 When the thing is known and has a gender
3:30 A super subtle nuance
4:39 What to do if you forget during a conversation
Merci. Usually I like to find youtubers speaking only in French, but now that I am at a bit of a higher level, I find your videos very helpful for explaining certain concepts in a way that I can easily understand what you mean and don't have to decipher the language on top of understanding the concept.
That's the goal! There are advantages to both styles. Videos in French are great for overall comprehension of the messages being communicated. Videos in English are good for understanding complex concepts. Thanks for noticing!
Hi Alex. Actually « Il est » + article + noun (usually + adjective) is also possible. I think it’s good for beginners not to worry about that, but I think you could mention it.
I had a lesson yesterday with an advanced student, and she told me she saw on RUclips (I don’t know which channel) that the rule is always « Il est + adj. » or « Il est + noun without article » only.
We were listening to a podcast in which the speaker used « Elle est + article + noun » and she was lost because of the things you can read on blogs or see on RUclips. Of course, for beginners, it’s better to remember what you brilliantly taught here, but it’s worth mentioning « Il est + article + noun (+ something to define it usually, noun or adjective)» is also used.
I just opened Google actualités and looked for « il est un » (with quotation marks) to have some examples, and there are a lot. Like « il est un virtuose du piano », « il est un problème en défense », « il est un jeune homme incroyable », « il est un joueur moderne » and so on. Same for « elle est une ».
By the way, your channel is great, I love it. I watch it to learn English ;)
Thank you for the helping addition Cyril :).
I'm french and by the title I didn't thought it was that complicated.
It all comes flawlessly for me but I realize that this language is fucked up every time I learn more about it 😂
@Beaudile on some things yes, may be.
Every language has its "bizarreries".
Merci, Alex! Only thing, please don't artificially accelerate your speech, it makes it a lot harder to follow you.
Noted! Thank you! And the 21 other people who liked your comment!
And leave time to like the episode!
On-screen links come up too soon, and you need to rewind to press the ‘like’.
I stumbled into your RUclips and found that you are the best French instructor for English speaker like me. I had 2 years of French in high school in 1960sand still like to learn more French in my free time and found out that you are the best and now I am addicted to you! Merci beaucoup, Alex.
J'aime bien comprendre où se cachent les difficultés de la langue française pour nos amis locuteurs anglais. Une petite remarque, présenter son oncle en disant "ça c'est mon oncle" n'est pas poli, on dira plutôt "voici mon oncle". C'est par exemple en commentant une photo de groupe que l'on dit en pointant du doigt "ça c'est mon oncle".
Merci beaucoup de la précision !
Was that speeded up or am I having a really slow Sunday. Very good explanation all the same . Looking forward to watching it again without 🍷. :D
Yeah, it would really help if he slowed down or paused longer after introducing a French sentence. I'm still trying to work out what the French means, and he's already moved onto the next thing.
yes I agree! it's super fast
When I slowed it down to .75x it sounded more natural and more like how he usually sounds… maybe it was an accident?
Ha ha Marie so funny watch it again without 🍷 that made me laugh out loud ...but yes a bit slower would help me also please Alex Thankyou and happy Easter guys ❤️
@@isabelmonday 😊 happy easter to you also.
this makes so much sense thx a bunch :)
Will watch this a few times as you have explained it well. I might finally be able to end my 'lucky dip' approach to c'est and il/elle est!!
Thank you so much, I finally understand it :3
Super helpful video, thank you Alex!
My pleasure!
Thanks again Alex. You are a great coach!
Bah, de rien. Avec plaisir !
Thank you very much. Your explication has made it a lot clearer for me!
Wonderful.
Thanks, that was useful and appreciate your transparency about still making mistakes.
You're welcome! I value transparency in order to help people see that perfection is the wrong thing to target.
J'avais besoin de cette vidéo ! Je les mélange toujours. Merci Alex.
C'est normal !
thank you for the lesson of nuances!
My pleasure!
Merci beaucoup
Merci!!
Merci pour votre vidéo, elle est géniale!
Merci ! Et bravo :D
C'etait une explication tres claire. Merci, Alex.
De rien Rae!
Thanks!
La plupart des profs n’expliquent que la partie sur le fait de ne pas utiliser "il est" + déterminant. Je comprends cette règle. Mais les nuances que vous avez expliquées étaient super - en particulier l’exemple que vous nous avez donné avec l’annonce pour la pâte à tartiner. Merci Alex ! (P.S. - thank you for the tip regarding iTalki! I had my first session with a French native and I spoke more in a 30 minute class than I have in my last several 2-hour group classes!)
Woohoo ! Tellement content pour toi Connie. Tu n'étais pas prête il y a un an, mais maintenant tu l'es. On doit régulier faire le point avec soi-même pour réévaluer les activités qu'on fait pour le français.
Merci Alex c’est beaucoup plus clair maintenant.
Avec plaisir Nikki!
Gracias por sus videos y información. 👍🏻
De nada !
Very good!
Merci Charlotte.
Merci très utile
De rien !
Excellent, thanks! The only thing I would say is that I felt your delivery was faster than usual. Not sure if you've had feedback to do this (perhaps from RUclips!) but please don't! You usual pace is perfect!😀
Thanks for the feedback! Yes actually I took the advice of others in the comments here and went back to the usual pace in this week's video :)
I’ll have to watch it again several times for it to really sink in, but it was a big help and it’s nice to have a resource that addresses it so clearly :)
Oh yes don't worry. I have probably wanted to make this for a couple of years but I needed time to fully understand the nuances. So, all that to say: take your time. The more times you hear them in context, the more the video will help too.
So here’s how I learned this… or rather was taught. Il/Elle est directly follows the noun or adjective but if it is interrupted by an article or any modifier, then the c’est construction is used.
Il est médecin mais c’est un bon médecin.
T’as commencé à remarquer la différence au début de ton vidéo mais je pense pas que tu l’as pas expliquée plus.
But overall, I enjoyed this video - thank you for taking the time and effort to create it 😊
Always useful to have different perspectives. It can help make it "click" for someone who watched but still didn't understand it 100%! Thanks a lot.
As you can see, you don't need the modifier in order to use c'est, just an article :)
@@FrenchinPlainSight I definitely feel you added more depth to my understanding 😊
Elle etait geniale ta video. I have a decent level of French, but I still mess this us.
*up
Listen and imitate, I think is the key to overcoming it.
This helped so much! I was so confused when to use 'il/elle est' and this answered it for me! Merci beaucoup
My two cents here : C'est is mostly use for general purpose. Like in the video, if the new owners say : regarde, il est génial, they necessarily speak over the appartement but if they c'est c'est genial, they must refer to being owners or having found a nice place to live. Bonjour, je suis Stéphane, c'est un prénom d'origine allemande, il est génial non ? (My first name is awesome). Bonjour, je suis Stéphane, c'est un prénom d'origine allemande, c'est génial non ? (Having a german first name is awesome).
I love it! Had it in my head to do this video for 2 years but only recently felt able to do it in a clear and concise way. Very glad it helped.
Maintenant, je comprends mieux! Sometimes I just need an explanation in English. Merci, Alex, tu nous aide tellement.
Yes! I'm here to fill in those gaps!
I've been looking for videos about this, and no one really goes beyond il est anglais vs. c'est un anglais. They always talk about people, never objects. This has once and for all been clarified. Thanks a ton!
C'est genial, ta leçon ! Elle est claire et facile à suivre ! MERCI !
Hello
Do you offer one-on-one online French classes? Also, how can I get the hard copy of the guide "speaking French with more confidence" in Geneva?
Hi there Nabil. I offer private coaching for French confience with 1 or 2 students at a time. You can check it out here: bit.ly/3N42CvU
I've seen that you purchased a copy of my workbook so I will assume that your second question was resolved. :)
Hi,
Can you explain why the expression "reading is difficult" or "Il/c'est difficile de lire" can take either "il" or "ce" here, given the general rule that "il" is usually used with adjectives and "ce" with nouns.
In the same vein, can you explain why the expression "it's difficult to read" or "c'est difficile a lire" seems to only take "ce" and not "il", given the general rule that "il" is used with adjectives and "ce" with nouns.
Also, can you explain why it is "ce n'est pas loin, c'est au bout de la rue" when the general rule with prepositions of place is to use "il".
Thank you.
"C'est difficile à lire" means that you're talking about a text by example, but in a specific way
"C'est difficile de lire" or "Il est difficile de lire" IL/C'EST refers to unpersonal pronouns, like "Il pleut" It's raining, "C'est facile" It's easy
In that case you will talk about the fact reading in general for you is difficult
OK. Everything I find talks about c'est/il est + nouns or adjectives. What about c'est/il est + prépositions? For example: c'est à moi/il est a moi. I don't know if it's a dumb question but I just can't find the answer.
thanks!!!
Ok so this is the same principle as one of the points. It's c'est if it's general or as yet unidentified. It's il/elle if it's known.
Ce verre, il est à moi ? Is this my glass? Does this glass belong to me?
C'est depuis tout à l'heure. = It's since earlier. Genderless thing uses c'est.
I hope that's clearer, Jake!
Thank you!!!!
I found a book for sale for Euro 14,99 but no free guide/link. 4:54
Here you go: frenchinplainsight.com/speaking-guide
What about 'Il est possible que..' vs 'C'est possible que...'? Is the second one possible (no pun intended)?
Haha. Yes they are both possible. As for when to use each one, that's a nuance I haven't figured out yet. As a general rule, I go with what I hear most often and I think that's Il est. But this kind of nuance doesn't stop me speaking.
Great content thanks. So Tu habites à Montpellier, c’est genial, means it is great you are living in Montpellier while Tu habites à Montpellier, il/elle(?) est genial(e) means Montpellier is great?
Would it only be appropriate to use "C'est/Ca c'est" to describe inanimate nouns only in the first instance? And I'll have to use "Il est/Elle est" subsequently? Or is it ok to keep using "C'est"?
According to the rules, you need to use il/elle subsequently. Rules are rigid. Black and white. As a foreigner in France, YOU get to decide which French you speak. As I said towards the end of the video "c'est" can also be appropriate. It just might not express EXACTLY the same thing but no one would notice unless it's really unclear.
@@FrenchinPlainSight Ah Merci beaucoup! Your videos are a great help, keep up the good work! ✨
Great, but very fast!
Thanks for the feedback Adrienne! If ever you need to, feel free to slow me down with the RUclips player settings.
Like many others, I find you a Brilliant teacher & you have helped me a LOT. I love how you rever to rules of grammar (even in English I have forgotten so much of it) & I think you pick succinct aspects of French to clear up each video. Thanks & Salut
Are c'est and ces homophones for most people?
I mean, they are pronounced the same, so yes.
Voltaire
1. "Barbare, il est mon fils !" Voltaire. Mérope.
2. "Mais il est mon époux, quoique indigne de l'être ;. Le ciel qui me poursuit me l'a donné pour maître" Voltaire Artémire
3. Oui, je lui dois la vie, et c'est toute ma gloire. Seul objet de mes voeux, il est mon seul appui. Oui, je lui dois la vie, et c'est toute ma gloire. Seul objet de mes voeux, il est mon seul appui." Voltaire. Tancrède.
4. Il est mon gendre, et ma Lise est à lui. Il reste donc, notre triste beau-père,." Voltaire . L'enfant prodigue.
5. "Il est mon confident, qu'il soit le vôtre"aussi" Voltaire. L'indiscret.
6. "Oui , je lui dois la vie , & c'est toute ma gloire. Seul objet de mes vœux il est mon seul appui." Voltaire. Théatre complet.
7. "Gusman fut inhumain, je le sai, j'en frémis ; mais il est ton époux, il t'aime, il est mon fils, son ame à la pitié se peut ouvrir encore." Voltaire. Alzire.
8. "Cunégonde; il m'a fait fouetter impitoyablement; il est mon rival; je suis en train de tuer; il n'y a pas à balancer."Voltaire. Candide.
9. "Du Bourg Theroulde; il est mon rival au près de vous et rival préféré mais je n'étais point jaloux. Nous parlions de mon cher Cideville avec un plaisir si ..." Voltaire. Oeuvres complètes.
If instead of waiting for a tram you were waiting for Pierre could you say: Oui, c'est en
That wasn’t too difficult, was it? I thought it was going to require a PhD thesis to explain it! Merci infiniment.
The key to explaining something simply, is to have the experience of hearing it and using it. It took me quite a while to find the words. Actually, I first thought of doing this video 2 years ago haha.
I would never say "Ca, c'est ton oncle", etc. Sounds too familiar, borderline impolite to me (especially with the 'ca' which targets objects*, not people). Now, I am from the North half of France where I would never say "C'est 3 heure" for the time, while in the South, they would... at least in some areas, so maybe there is something that makes it more acceptable in the South...??? I really don't know, but to my North-of-the-Loire ears, it just sounds bad, incorrect and inappropriate and I would not be happy if I heard it targeted to me.
*Except* (sorry, there are always exception) if you actually answer a question like: "Qui c'est?", then "C'est ton oncle" will get by.... even if a better answer would be "Ton oncle" on its own... sorry again... probably because the "c'est" is in the original question. But still, absolutely without the "ca", which puts it back to impolite, or at minimum improper.
As a sentence on its own. I'd say "Voici ton oncle" or longer phrases ('dis bonjour a ton oncle', 'je te presente ton oncle' - probably too formal this one - or other.... ) but indeed, not "Il est ton oncle", which sounds grammatically incorrect... (but not impolite, though...). "Lui, c'est ton oncle" is not as bad as a version using "c'est", it sounds much less offensive to me... but still not right.
Sorry to be picky, but you could mistakenly offense someone... or at least provide a negative vibe.
The rest of the explanations, I agree.
*Actually, the 'ca' probably can also pass for the "cat" example. It's not great, but because not a person, it does not sound really offensive as when used to identify a person. (for objects, of course, it is no problem: "Ca, c'est un verre"... you cannot offend a glass...)
Thanks a lot for the correction. Thankfully it wasn't a video on ça/voici. Otherwise I'd have taken it down out of shame!
Hmm, I’m not sure I agree on that one. Actually, it chocks us to hear « ça » directed to a human being, but when we talk, we honestly use it, sometimes. Like, if you point your dad on a photo, you would naturally say : « Ça c’est mon père », even more naturally than you would say « Lui c’est mon père ».
But I agree you would not point someone you know, for example a coworker, and say « Ça c’est ma collègue », you’d rather say « Elle, c’est ma collègue » or simply « C’est ma collègue »
Why no liaison when you say "Il est en retard"?
It's French 🙄
Ils n'applique jamais les règles dans la même manière tout le temps.
There are actually complex rules for liaisons. Liaison obligatoire, liaison interdit and liaison facultative.
2 reasons: 1. Some liaisons are optional, some are mandatory, as da96103 mentions. 2. I'm not French. I learned (and still learn) every day and so I have some habits that natives don't have. But since I was teaching about c'est v il/elle est, my lack of liaison here doesn't really matter.
Too fast. Please slow down.
Are you channeling Hugo Décrypte ?😆 tooooo fast …
Haha. Sorry Anita. Thanks for the feedback. Trying to find a new balance (and I filmed 8 videos in a row, so there won't be a change in the next few) that's best for RUclips. It seems to pay off since the channel has grown a lot lately. If you ever need me to slow down, RUclips lets you do that.
@@FrenchinPlainSight 🤔 Is it better to sound artificially fast to gain traffic than to sound natural. We also have the option to speed up the audio if necessary 🤷🏻♀️
we don't use "ça" when speaking about a person. "Ça, c'est ton oncle" is not correct. Some can be offended when it is done on them. Just because many people do this mistake doesn't mean that it needs to be taught to others. It's like English speakers who say "She don't speak Chinese". Many people speak like that, but it is not correct and mustn't be taught....Again, I recommend you to be corrected by a native French speaker before you do your videos.....
What would you say Instead of ça c’est ton oncle?
@@Mia-wy3tn well technically it's a bad construction, something you use when you address a child. So if we keep this "not ideal" construction, replace the "ça" (to talk about a thing) by "lui" for a male or "elle" for a female. Eg. "Lui, c'est ton oncle". But one advice, don't use it with people you're not closed to, it may also be a lack of respect. The ideal construction is "Voici ton oncle", "voici ta tante", "voici mon petit ami. Il s'appelle Paul." Or "Je te présente Maya, ma collègue de travail.", "je te présente Victor, c'est mon père".
@@naro363 ohh okay, thank you for explaining
That's true. I've learned something!
@@FrenchinPlainSight me too.