Learning how to say “it’s” in French is helpful when talking about people, things, or even ideas. In English, “it’s” is a common word we use every day. In French, understanding how to say “it’s” can make conversations easier and more natural.
French has different ways to express “it’s” depending on the situation. Whether you’re describing something, pointing out a person, or talking about time, knowing the correct phrase is important. In this article, you’ll learn how to say “it’s” in French, explore similar expressions, learn how to respond, and practice with simple exercises. By the end, you’ll feel more comfortable using this phrase in real-life conversations.
Ways to Say “It’s” in French
In French, “it’s” can be expressed in several ways depending on the context. Whether describing objects, people, or even time, these phrases will help you sound natural and fluent in everyday conversations. Below are different ways to say “it’s” in French, with explanations and examples.
1. C’est
Pronunciation: seh
Meaning: It is / This is / That is
In a Sentence:
- C’est mon livre. (It’s my book.)
- C’est incroyable! (That’s unbelievable.)
- C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer. (It’s a pleasure to meet you.)
2. Il est
Pronunciation: eel eh
Meaning: He is / It is (used with adjectives or professions)
In a Sentence:
- Il est gentil. (He is nice.)
- Il est tard. (It’s late.)
- Il est professeur. (He is a teacher.)
3. Elle est
Pronunciation: el eh
Meaning: She is / It is (feminine nouns)
In a Sentence:
- Elle est belle. (She is beautiful.)
- Elle est prête. (She is ready.)
- Elle est grande. (It’s big – referring to a feminine noun like “maison.”)
4. Voilà
Pronunciation: vwah-lah
Meaning: There it is / Here it is
In a Sentence:
- Voilà mon sac! (There’s my bag!)
- Voilà la réponse. (There’s the answer.)
- Voilà pourquoi je suis venu. (That’s why I came.)
5. Voici
Pronunciation: vwah-see
Meaning: Here is / Here are
In a Sentence:
- Voici votre café. (Here’s your coffee.)
- Voici mes amis. (Here are my friends.)
- Voici mon numéro de téléphone. (Here is my phone number.)
6. C’était
Pronunciation: seh-teh
Meaning: It was / That was
In a Sentence:
- C’était amusant! (That was fun!)
- C’était un bon film. (It was a good movie.)
- C’était difficile. (It was difficult.)
7. Il y a
Pronunciation: eel yah
Meaning: There is / There are
In a Sentence:
- Il y a un chat sur le canapé. (There’s a cat on the couch.)
- Il y a un problème. (There is a problem.)
- Il y a des enfants dans le parc. (There are children in the park.)
8. C’est ça
Pronunciation: seh sah
Meaning: That’s it / Exactly
In a Sentence:
- C’est ça que je voulais dire. (That’s what I meant.)
- C’est ça, continue! (That’s it, keep going!)
- C’est ça le secret. (That’s the secret.)
9. C’est lui
Pronunciation: seh lwee
Meaning: It’s him / He’s the one
In a Sentence:
- C’est lui qui m’a aidé. (He’s the one who helped me.)
- C’est lui, je le reconnais! (It’s him, I recognize him!)
- C’est lui que tu cherches. (He’s the one you’re looking for.)
10. C’est elle
Pronunciation: seh el
Meaning: It’s her / She’s the one
In a Sentence:
- C’est elle qui a gagné. (She’s the one who won.)
- C’est elle que je voulais voir. (It’s her I wanted to see.)
- C’est elle, regarde! (It’s her, look!)
11. Ce sont
Pronunciation: suh sohn
Meaning: They are / These are / Those are
In a Sentence:
- Ce sont mes cousins. (They are my cousins.)
- Ce sont mes affaires. (These are my things.)
- Ce sont de bonnes nouvelles! (Those are good news!)
12. C’est moi
Pronunciation: seh mwah
Meaning: It’s me
In a Sentence:
- C’est moi à la porte. (It’s me at the door.)
- C’est moi qui ai fait ça. (I’m the one who did that.)
- C’est moi, ne t’inquiète pas. (It’s me, don’t worry.)
13. C’était moi
Pronunciation: seh-teh mwah
Meaning: It was me
In a Sentence:
- C’était moi qui l’ai vu. (It was me who saw him.)
- C’était moi au téléphone. (It was me on the phone.)
- C’était moi, désolé. (It was me, sorry.)
14. Ce sera
Pronunciation: suh rah
Meaning: It will be
In a Sentence:
- Ce sera un grand jour! (It will be a big day!)
- Ce sera prêt demain. (It will be ready tomorrow.)
- Ce sera facile. (It will be easy.)
15. Ce serait
Pronunciation: suh reh
Meaning: It would be
In a Sentence:
- Ce serait génial! (It would be great!)
- Ce serait mieux d’attendre. (It would be better to wait.)
- Ce serait sympa de les inviter. (It would be nice to invite them.)
16. Cela
Pronunciation: suh-lah
Meaning: That / It
In a Sentence:
- Cela me dérange un peu. (That bothers me a bit.)
- Cela semble correct. (That seems correct.)
- Cela fait longtemps! (It’s been a long time!)
17. Ceci
Pronunciation: suh-see
Meaning: This / It
In a Sentence:
- Ceci est pour toi. (This is for you.)
- Ceci est important. (This is important.)
- Ceci semble parfait. (This seems perfect.)
18. C’est fini
Pronunciation: seh fee-nee
Meaning: It’s over / It’s finished
In a Sentence:
- C’est fini, on peut partir. (It’s over, we can leave.)
- C’est fini, plus de devoirs! (It’s over, no more homework!)
- C’est fini entre nous. (It’s over between us.)
19. C’est possible
Pronunciation: seh poh-see-bluh
Meaning: It’s possible
In a Sentence:
- C’est possible que nous soyons en retard. (It’s possible that we are late.)
- C’est possible de terminer aujourd’hui? (Is it possible to finish today?)
- C’est possible, mais pas certain. (It’s possible, but not certain.)
20. C’est vrai
Pronunciation: seh vreh
Meaning: It’s true
In a Sentence:
- C’est vrai que tu viens demain? (Is it true that you’re coming tomorrow?)
- C’est vrai, je l’ai vu moi-même. (It’s true, I saw it myself.)
- C’est vrai ce qu’il a dit. (What he said is true.)
21. C’est faux
Pronunciation: seh foh
Meaning: It’s false / It’s wrong
In a Sentence:
- C’est faux, je n’ai jamais dit ça. (That’s false, I never said that.)
- C’est faux de mentir. (It’s wrong to lie.)
- C’est faux, regarde les faits! (It’s false, look at the facts!)
22. C’est important
Pronunciation: seh ahn-por-tahn
Meaning: It’s important
In a Sentence:
- C’est important de faire ses devoirs. (It’s important to do your homework.)
- C’est important pour moi. (It’s important to me.)
- C’est important de bien manger. (It’s important to eat well.)
23. C’est urgent
Pronunciation: seh ur-zhahn
Meaning: It’s urgent
In a Sentence:
- C’est urgent, appelle-le tout de suite! (It’s urgent, call him right away!)
- C’est urgent de finir ce projet. (It’s urgent to finish this project.)
- C’est urgent, nous devons partir maintenant. (It’s urgent, we must leave now.)
24. C’est certain
Pronunciation: seh ser-tan
Meaning: It’s certain / It’s sure
In a Sentence:
- C’est certain qu’il viendra. (It’s certain that he will come.)
- C’est certain que nous réussirons. (It’s certain that we will succeed.)
- C’est certain, il a gagné. (It’s certain, he won.)
25. C’est évident
Pronunciation: seh eh-vee-dahn
Meaning: It’s obvious
In a Sentence:
- C’est évident qu’il est fatigué. (It’s obvious that he is tired.)
- C’est évident qu’elle a raison. (It’s obvious that she is right.)
- C’est évident que tu dois essayer. (It’s obvious that you must try.)
26. C’est dommage
Pronunciation: seh doh-mahj
Meaning: It’s a shame / It’s too bad
In a Sentence:
- C’est dommage que tu ne puisses pas venir. (It’s a shame you can’t come.)
- C’est dommage, le magasin est fermé. (It’s too bad, the store is closed.)
- C’est dommage que nous ayons perdu. (It’s a shame we lost.)
27. C’est possible que
Pronunciation: seh poh-see-bluh kuh
Meaning: It’s possible that…
In a Sentence:
- C’est possible qu’il soit en retard. (It’s possible that he is late.)
- C’est possible que nous partions plus tôt. (It’s possible that we leave earlier.)
- C’est possible que ça marche. (It’s possible that it works.)
28. C’est parfait
Pronunciation: seh par-feh
Meaning: It’s perfect
In a Sentence:
- C’est parfait, continuons comme ça! (It’s perfect, let’s keep going like this!)
- C’est parfait pour notre projet. (It’s perfect for our project.)
- C’est parfait, merci beaucoup! (It’s perfect, thank you very much!)
Other Ways to Say “It’s” in French
Below is a table with alternative ways to say “it’s” in French. Each expression comes with its pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences for better understanding.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Ça marche | sah marsh | It works / It’s working | Ça marche bien. (It’s working well.) Ça marche comme prévu. (It’s working as planned.) |
| Ça va | sah vah | It’s okay / It’s fine | Ça va mieux maintenant. (It’s better now.) Tout va bien? (Is everything okay?) |
| Ça suffit | sah soo-fee | That’s enough | Ça suffit, arrête de parler! (That’s enough, stop talking!) Ça suffit pour aujourd’hui. (That’s enough for today.) |
| Il semble que | eel sahm-bluh kuh | It seems that | Il semble que tu sois fatigué. (It seems that you are tired.) Il semble que tout soit prêt. (It seems that everything is ready.) |
| Ça dépend | sah day-pahn | It depends | Ça dépend du temps. (It depends on the weather.) Ça dépend de toi. (It depends on you.) |
| Il paraît que | eel pah-ray kuh | It appears that | Il paraît qu’il va pleuvoir. (It appears that it’s going to rain.) Il paraît que tu es en retard. (It appears that you are late.) |
| C’est parti | seh par-tee | Here we go / It’s on | C’est parti pour l’aventure! (Here we go for the adventure!) C’est parti pour le match. (It’s on for the game.) |
| Ça commence | sah koh-mahnss | It’s starting | Ça commence bientôt. (It’s starting soon.) Ça commence à devenir intéressant. (It’s starting to get interesting.) |
| Ça fait | sah feh | It’s been / That makes | Ça fait longtemps! (It’s been a long time!) Ça fait plaisir de te voir. (It’s nice to see you.) |
| Il est temps de | eel eh tahn duh | It’s time to | Il est temps de partir. (It’s time to leave.) Il est temps de manger. (It’s time to eat.) |
Responses to “It’s” in French
When someone uses “it’s” in a conversation, responding appropriately helps keep the dialogue flowing naturally. Below are common responses in French with explanations and examples.
1. C’est vrai
Pronunciation: seh vreh
Meaning: That’s true
In a Sentence: C’est vrai, tu as raison. (That’s true, you’re right.) C’est vrai, je l’ai entendu aussi. (That’s true, I heard it too.)
2. C’est faux
Pronunciation: seh foh
Meaning: That’s false / That’s wrong
In a Sentence: C’est faux, il ne l’a pas fait. (That’s false, he didn’t do it.) C’est faux, ce n’est pas ce que j’ai dit. (That’s wrong, that’s not what I said.)
3. C’est possible
Pronunciation: seh poh-see-bluh
Meaning: It’s possible
In a Sentence: C’est possible que nous soyons en retard. (It’s possible we are late.) C’est possible, mais peu probable. (It’s possible but unlikely.)
4. Peut-être
Pronunciation: puh-tehr
Meaning: Maybe
In a Sentence: Peut-être qu’il viendra. (Maybe he will come.) Peut-être demain. (Maybe tomorrow.)
5. Bien sûr
Pronunciation: byan soor
Meaning: Of course
In a Sentence: Bien sûr, tu peux venir. (Of course, you can come.) Bien sûr que c’est vrai. (Of course it’s true.)
6. Pas du tout
Pronunciation: pah doo too
Meaning: Not at all
In a Sentence: Pas du tout, je ne suis pas fatigué. (Not at all, I’m not tired.) Pas du tout, ce n’est pas le cas. (Not at all, that’s not the case.)
7. Absolument
Pronunciation: ab-so-loo-mahn
Meaning: Absolutely
In a Sentence: Absolument, c’est la vérité. (Absolutely, it’s the truth.) Absolument, je suis d’accord. (Absolutely, I agree.)
8. Certainement
Pronunciation: ser-tan-mahn
Meaning: Certainly
In a Sentence: Certainement, je peux t’aider. (Certainly, I can help you.) Certainement, c’est une bonne idée. (Certainly, that’s a good idea.)
9. Je ne pense pas
Pronunciation: juh nuh pahns pah
Meaning: I don’t think so
In a Sentence: Je ne pense pas que ce soit possible. (I don’t think it’s possible.) Je ne pense pas qu’il viendra. (I don’t think he will come.)
10. Je crois que oui
Pronunciation: juh krwah kuh wee
Meaning: I think so
In a Sentence: Je crois que oui, il est déjà là. (I think so, he’s already here.) Je crois que oui, tout est prêt. (I think so, everything is ready.)
11. Je suppose que oui
Pronunciation: juh soo-pohz kuh wee
Meaning: I suppose so
In a Sentence: Je suppose que oui, il a compris. (I suppose so, he understood.) Je suppose que oui, ça marche comme prévu. (I suppose so, it’s working as planned.)
12. Exactement
Pronunciation: eg-zak-tuh-mahn
Meaning: Exactly
In a Sentence: Exactement, c’est ce que je voulais dire. (Exactly, that’s what I meant.) Exactement, c’est comme ça. (Exactly, that’s how it is.)
13. Pas vraiment
Pronunciation: pah vreh-mahn
Meaning: Not really
In a Sentence: Pas vraiment, je ne suis pas convaincu. (Not really, I’m not convinced.) Pas vraiment, ce n’est pas ce que j’attendais. (Not really, that’s not what I expected.)
14. Tout à fait
Pronunciation: too tah feh
Meaning: Absolutely / Totally
In a Sentence: Tout à fait, tu as raison. (Absolutely, you’re right.) Tout à fait, c’est exactement ça. (Totally, that’s exactly it.)
15. Je ne sais pas
Pronunciation: juh nuh seh pah
Meaning: I don’t know
In a Sentence: Je ne sais pas s’il viendra. (I don’t know if he will come.) Je ne sais pas quoi faire. (I don’t know what to do.)
Exercise to Practice “It’s” in French
Fill in the blanks with the correct French phrases for “it’s” based on the context. Each sentence uses real-life situations to make learning relatable.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- ________ mon anniversaire aujourd’hui. (It’s my birthday today.)
- ________ temps de partir. (It’s time to leave.)
- ________ possible que nous soyons en retard. (It’s possible that we are late.)
- ________ un plaisir de vous rencontrer. (It’s a pleasure to meet you.)
- ________ dommage que tu ne puisses pas venir. (It’s a shame you can’t come.)
- ________ vrai, il a gagné le prix. (It’s true, he won the prize.)
- ________ faux, elle n’a jamais dit ça. (It’s false, she never said that.)
- ________ bientôt l’heure du dîner. (It’s almost dinner time.)
- ________ mon tour de parler. (It’s my turn to speak.)
- ________ important de faire ses devoirs. (It’s important to do your homework.)
- ________ fini, on peut rentrer maintenant. (It’s over, we can go home now.)
- ________ trop tard pour changer d’avis. (It’s too late to change your mind.)
Answers:
- C’est
- Il est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- C’est
- Il est
Conclusion
Learning how to say “it’s” in French can make your conversations smoother and more natural. Whether you’re talking about people, objects, or situations, knowing the right phrase helps you sound more confident and clear.
By practicing different ways to say “it’s,” you’ll be able to express ideas effectively in various contexts. Keep using these phrases in real-life conversations, and soon they will feel as natural as speaking in English. Remember, consistent practice is the key to mastering French expressions!