identification and description

Using the Verb "Être" for Identification and Description

In French, the verb être (to be) is the primary tool for identifying who someone is or describing what something is like. Depending on whether you are pointing someone out or describing their characteristics, the structure of the sentence changes.

1. Identification

To identify a person or an object, especially when answering questions like "Who is it?" or "What is it?", French uses specific structures.

Structure: ce + être + noun or pronoun

This is the most common way to identify things or people. In everyday spoken French, c'est is frequently used even if the noun that follows is plural.

• Qui est-ce ? — C’est madame Legrand. (Who is it? — It’s Mrs. Legrand.)
• Qu’est-ce que c’est ? — C’est un cadeau. (What is it? — It’s a gift.)
• Qui dirigera la chorale ? — Ce sera madame Dupuis. (Who will lead the choir? — It will be Mrs. Dupuis.)
• C’est les cousins d’Éric Lebrun. (It’s Eric Lebrun’s cousins.) [Note: "Ce sont" is the formal plural, but "c'est" is common in daily speech.]

Structure: Subject Pronoun + être + determiner + noun

You can also identify yourself or others using personal pronouns followed by a determiner (like the or my) and a noun.

• Je suis la secrétaire de madame Durand. (I am Mrs. Durand's secretary.)
• Nous sommes les nouveaux locataires. (We are the new tenants.)

2. Description

When you want to describe the qualities of a person or thing, or state someone's profession, the structure changes to use il/elle.

Structure: il(s) / elle(s) + être + adjective

Use this to describe specific traits or states.

• Il est compétent et très patient. (He is competent and very patient.)
• Elle est assez petite mais très confortable. (It/She is quite small but very comfortable.)

Structure: Profession without an article

In French, when stating someone's job, you do not use "a" or "an" (un/une).

• Elle est étudiante en droit. (She is a law student.)
• Il est journaliste. (He is a journalist.)
• Ils étaient commerçants. (They were shopkeepers.)

3. Evaluation and Appreciation

The structure c’est is also used to give a general opinion, talk about geographical places, or refer to titles of works.

• C’est délicieux ! (It’s delicious!)
• Montmartre ? C’est très pittoresque. (Montmartre? It’s very picturesque.)
• Les Trois Mousquetaires ? C’est passionnant. (The Three Musketeers? It’s exciting.)