Standalone adjectives after c'est are always masculine

In French, standalone adjectives that follow "c'est" are in the masculine form.

Standalone adjectives after c'est in French

Look at these 2 contrasting examples:

La jupe coûte 30€. - Cette jupe est chère.The skirt costs €30. - This skirt is expensive.

La jupe coûte 30€. - C'est cher !The skirt costs €30. - That's expensive!

J'ai acheté une jupe ! - Oh, c'est cher, les jupes !I bought a dress! - Oh, skirts are expensive!

- In the first case, the adjective (describing word) chère relates to a specific noun (la jupe) present in the sentence, therefore the regular rule of agreement applies.

- In the second and third case, we're still talking about the skirt, but commenting on its price in a general context, using c'est (that is), hence the use of the masculine form of the adjective (cher).

When a standalone adjective is used after c'est, it will always be in the masculine form.

Here are more examples:

C'est ennuyeux.It is boring.

C'est génial !It's great!

C'est joli.It is pretty.

C'est gratuit.It is free.


Also see Describing things in French with c'est = it is 

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Examples and resources

C'est gratuit.It is free.
J'ai acheté une jupe ! - Oh, c'est cher, les jupes !I bought a dress! - Oh, skirts are expensive!
C'est excitant.It is exciting.
La jupe coûte 30€. - Cette jupe est chère.The skirt costs €30. - This skirt is expensive.
La jupe coûte 30€. - C'est cher !The skirt costs €30. - That's expensive!
C'est génial !It's great!
C'est joli.It is pretty.
C'est ennuyeux.It is boring.
Standalone adjectives after c'est are always masculine
1 of 2
"Cette pomme est bonne. - Oui, c'est ." (This apple is good. Yes, it is good.)

Q&A Forum 20 questions, 34 answers

Michael O.A2Kwiziq community member

Adjectives after c’est

If there are multiple adjectives after c’est, do they gender match the subject?

 

Asked 1 month ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

The subject in a sentence starting with c'est... is ce, which is always treated as masculine, regardless of whether there is one or more adjectives following.

Note: don't confuse the demonstrative pronoun ce/cette/ces with the neutral phrase c'est

Michael O. asked:

Adjectives after c’est

If there are multiple adjectives after c’est, do they gender match the subject?

 

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Noeline N.A1Kwiziq community member

Standalone adjectives

When we are using C'est plus the standalone adjective,is it always masculine and singular?on it can also be masculine and plural depending on the sentence ofcourse 

Asked 8 months ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Noeline, 

the rule applies only to stand-alone expressions of the form ' c'est (+/- adverb) adjective ' -  being " general " expressions, without a noun. 

In this structure ' ce sont ', the plural form of "c'est",  is not used, and the singular masculine form of the adjective  will always apply following ' c'est '. 

Of course, if using ' ce sont ', or indeed informally using ' c'est', followed by plural noun-adjective combinations, the adjective will agree in gender and plural form with the noun.  ( Adverbs are invariable regardless ).

See the attached lesson and links to Laura Lawless site for a discussion of rules and realities of using ' c'est ' or ' ce sont '.

C'est, ce sont = this is, these are (French Demonstrative Pronouns) 

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/cest-vs-il-est/ 

 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/cest/

Noeline N. asked:

Standalone adjectives

When we are using C'est plus the standalone adjective,is it always masculine and singular?on it can also be masculine and plural depending on the sentence ofcourse 

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Jangir G.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Does negation also require masculine form ?

 

Just to be sure. Negation also requires masculine form, am I right ?

 

 

La jupe coûte 30€. - Ce n'est pas cher !

Asked 1 year ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Yes, you are correct Jangir -

C'est cher !- Ce n'est pas cher !

C'est grand ! -  Ce n'est pas grand !

C'est parti ! - Ce n'est pas parti !

etc.

Bonne Continuation !

Jangir G. asked:

Does negation also require masculine form ?

 

Just to be sure. Negation also requires masculine form, am I right ?

 

 

La jupe coûte 30€. - Ce n'est pas cher !

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David M.B1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Cette pomme est bonne. - Oui, c'est bon.

This was asked 4 years ago and never answered.
"This apple is good. Yes, it is good."  is the stated English translation.
Had the English translation been "Yes, THEY are good", then "c'est bon" may be correct.
But, as stated, since IT is specific and refers to THIS APPLE, the French should be "Oui, elle est bonne."

Asked 1 year ago
CélineKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Bonjour David,

You are correct that this test question is not right. Thank you for pointing it out! It has now been amended accordingly and we've added an example in the lesson to illustrate this point too.

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

In current usage, “ c’est bon “ is very common, colloquial French in this situation. (See attached link under discussion point 4, and the examples further down in the discussion). 

Of course, ‘ Elle est bonne ‘ is still correct too. There is no difference in the English  translation of ‘ elle est bonne ‘ and ‘ c’est bon ‘ in this situation. 

The question attached to the lesson you linked is not asking whether to use ‘ c’est ‘ or ‘ elle est ‘.

Regardless of whether ‘ c’est bon ‘ is “ Le bon usage “ or not, you will hear it commonly in everyday speech, but it will never be ‘ c’est bonne ‘ and that is the point of this lesson. (Likewise it will never be ‘ Elle est bon ‘ either).

https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-grammar/cest-versus-il-elle-est/

David M. asked:

Cette pomme est bonne. - Oui, c'est bon.

This was asked 4 years ago and never answered.
"This apple is good. Yes, it is good."  is the stated English translation.
Had the English translation been "Yes, THEY are good", then "c'est bon" may be correct.
But, as stated, since IT is specific and refers to THIS APPLE, the French should be "Oui, elle est bonne."

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Sid S.C1Kwiziq community member

Confusing question

Questions including sentenses like "This bedroom is grey. - Yes, it's grey here."  make absolutley no sense to me.

What is "Yes, it's grey here" referring to? The weather, or a completely different bedroom perhaps. 

As I have no idea, I have to quess and and so keep getting the answer wrong.

I would be grateful if you could tell me what the question means by using different words.

Asked 2 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Sid,

It means the colour grey if you were talking about the weather you would use the verb faire.

Think if you overdo a colour in a room someone might make the remark -

Wow! it's very grey here!

 

Hope that helps!

Sid S. asked:

Confusing question

Questions including sentenses like "This bedroom is grey. - Yes, it's grey here."  make absolutley no sense to me.

What is "Yes, it's grey here" referring to? The weather, or a completely different bedroom perhaps. 

As I have no idea, I have to quess and and so keep getting the answer wrong.

I would be grateful if you could tell me what the question means by using different words.

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Aayushi T.A2Kwiziq community member

If we say "cette jupe" instead of "la jupe"

Bonjour. If I were to say "cette jupe coute 30 euros" instead of "la jupe coute 30 euros", would the exclamation then be (for example, a friend reacting to it) "c'est cher" or "elle est chere?"

Asked 2 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Whether you say cette jupe or la jupe, you would still respond most often with c'est cher:

Cette jupe coûte 30 euro. -- Oui, c'est cher.
La jupe 
coûte 30 euro. -- Oui, c'est cher.

Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Aayushi,

This type of query has been answered before  --  see here:-

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/questions/view/general-vs-specific-statement#Answer-21177

Bonne continuation,

Jim

Aayushi T.A2Kwiziq community member

Yes I discovered that answer later! Both responses are helpful. Merci Jim et Chris.

Aayushi T. asked:

If we say "cette jupe" instead of "la jupe"

Bonjour. If I were to say "cette jupe coute 30 euros" instead of "la jupe coute 30 euros", would the exclamation then be (for example, a friend reacting to it) "c'est cher" or "elle est chere?"

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Bozena I.A2Kwiziq community member

Votre voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.

It's a bit weird...
Votre voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage. 
translated to: Your car is small. - Yes, but my garage is small

hmm... having the first part of the dialogue: 'Votre voiture est petite.'
the given correct answer: 'Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.'  sounds to me as: Yes, but it (the car) is small in my garage.

now, the English 'Yes, but my garage is small' I would rather say in French: 'Oui, mais mon garage est petit.'

I might be wrong but this french statement / opinion example is somewhat not the best one here 
anyone to explain this ?

Asked 3 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer
Votre voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.

The misunderstanding arises because c'est doesn't relate to la voiture but rather to an impersonal "it": it is small in my garage. In English, this means that there's little room in the garage, i.e., that the garage is small.

Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Bozena,

I think that you have got it correct in the sense that the car being small is of no real consequence because the garage is also small.

I think your proposal for the French is valid "Oui, mais mon garage est petit"

Jim

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

If you keep thinking that French should just follow English rules, you are going to struggle indefinitely. French is not a replacement for English, it is its own language - and English grammar (and thinking) often sound very weird in French !

Bozena I. asked:

Votre voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.

It's a bit weird...
Votre voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage. 
translated to: Your car is small. - Yes, but my garage is small

hmm... having the first part of the dialogue: 'Votre voiture est petite.'
the given correct answer: 'Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.'  sounds to me as: Yes, but it (the car) is small in my garage.

now, the English 'Yes, but my garage is small' I would rather say in French: 'Oui, mais mon garage est petit.'

I might be wrong but this french statement / opinion example is somewhat not the best one here 
anyone to explain this ?

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Kollum K.A2Kwiziq community member

General vs Specific statement

Hello, I am a little confused on what makes the following example a general statement: La jupe coûte 30 euros. - C’est cher! 

Based off another lesson on using C’est vs il/elle est, it seems to me like the above statement is commenting on a specific item and should instead be:

La jupe coûte 30 euros. - Elle est chère!

What is the difference here? Merci!

Asked 3 years ago
Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Hi Kollum,

Yes! It can be a bit tricky to get correct.

The point is whether the item being referred to is repeated in the second sentence or not?

If it is, then the comment becomes particular to the item and would require a subject pronoun.

If not, then it is a non-specific comment and takes "That is" --> "C'est"

If you look back to the lesson, I think you will see what I mean.

Jim

Kollum K.A2Kwiziq community member

To clarify my confusion comes from contrasting with this lesson part 2B: 

"C'est" vs "Il/Elle est" to say it is/she is/he is in French

 But I think after reviewing I see the difference, being kind of like “It is” vs “That is”. In English the using “That is” is more natural in this context, though using  “it is” would make sense.

“The dress is $30.” - “It is expensive.” / “That is expensive." 

Is this typically the case in French as well?

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

In French, "ça" refers to the entire idea, i.e., the fact that the skirt is expensive. 

La jupe est très chère. - Oui, ça ménerve!
The skirt is very expensive. - Yes, that annoys me! Here it is quite clear that "ça" does NOT refer to the skirt but to the entire idea.

Kollum K. asked:

General vs Specific statement

Hello, I am a little confused on what makes the following example a general statement: La jupe coûte 30 euros. - C’est cher! 

Based off another lesson on using C’est vs il/elle est, it seems to me like the above statement is commenting on a specific item and should instead be:

La jupe coûte 30 euros. - Elle est chère!

What is the difference here? Merci!

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D. A.A1Kwiziq community member

Cette cuisine est haute.

This kitchen is high?  This doesn't sound like it makes any sense in English or French.  Is this something anyone would actually say in French?
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq Head of French, Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Bonjour John et Chris !

Indeed, here the choice of "cuisine" was a bit awkward, as in EN it would be more like "high-ceiling", but I agree that even in FR it sounded a bit weird. We've now changed it for "une colline = a hill", which makes a bit more sense ;) 

Merci beaucoup de votre feedback, et bonne journée !

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

If you want to refer to the height of the room, this sounds fine to me. There is, however, also the term "haute cuisine" that refers to the high art of cooking.

D. A. asked:

Cette cuisine est haute.

This kitchen is high?  This doesn't sound like it makes any sense in English or French.  Is this something anyone would actually say in French?

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Carol W.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

C'est petit dans mon garage

Why does this translate to my garagec is small wouldn't that be mon garage est petit?

Asked 3 years ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Just an example of free translation - the literal translation wouldn’t be wrong in English, but wouldn’t sound quite right either. “It is small in my garage” would leave us wondering exactly what was small in the garage, whereas 'c’est' in French indicates a general rather specific statement. 

Carol W. asked:

C'est petit dans mon garage

Why does this translate to my garagec is small wouldn't that be mon garage est petit?

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Folarin L.A1Kwiziq community member

The use of "here"

Is it still considered general when the adjective is followed by "here", why does this not revert back to the normal agreement rules?


Asked 4 years ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

«ici» is an adverb, invariable and does not change agreement. In this context (c'est . . ) 'stand-alone adjective', the subject of the verb -est - is the indefinite pronoun 'ce' and 'takes masculine gender' for grammatical purposes, even if the subject noun it represents is known to be feminine. Hence the adjectives in the construct also take masculine form. Adverbs do not change.

Folarin L. asked:

The use of "here"

Is it still considered general when the adjective is followed by "here", why does this not revert back to the normal agreement rules?


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Javier A.A1Kwiziq community member

Standalone adjective/omission of the subject

Just to be sure. Is it okay if I say, 

« Regardez cette fleur. C’est beau, n’est pas? » ?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Javier, 

You are more likely to say -

Regardez cette fleur, elle est belle n'est-ce pas?

because you are talking about a particular flower.

Generally, you might say about flowers -

C'est beau, les fleurs, n'est-ce pas? = Flowers are beautiful aren't they?

Ozan D.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I think it would be  Regardez cette fleur. C’est beau, n’est-de pas?
But I am not sure

Javier A. asked:

Standalone adjective/omission of the subject

Just to be sure. Is it okay if I say, 

« Regardez cette fleur. C’est beau, n’est pas? » ?

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Jorge Z.A2Kwiziq community member

Standalone adjective

Can someone explain to me what is a standalone adjective and give a few examples please?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Jorge,

What is meant is an adjective that is not directly linked to a noun as in with the expression -

It's great! = c'est super

in French, you use -

C'est masculine form of the adjective

C'est grand = It's big

C'est petit = It's small

C'est beau = It's beautiful

C'est énorme = It's huge

etc.

Jorge Z.A2Kwiziq community member

Thanks

Jorge Z. asked:

Standalone adjective

Can someone explain to me what is a standalone adjective and give a few examples please?

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phillida c.A2Kwiziq community member

un peu / plutot

why do you have to say " c'est plutot difficile?"  and not c'est un peu difficile?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Phillida,

C'est plutôt difficile It's rather difficult

C'est un peu difficile = It's a bit difficult

Two different words with two different meanings.

phillida c. asked:

un peu / plutot

why do you have to say " c'est plutot difficile?"  and not c'est un peu difficile?

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Mtete l.A0Kwiziq community member

Est ce que votre robe est chere

Asked 5 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

C'est une drôle de question, Mtete...

Mtete l. asked:

Est ce que votre robe est chere

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Andrew L.C1Kwiziq community member

translation

The translation given for "Ta voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.""Your car is small. - Yes, but my garage is small."

The second sentence seems like it should be the car that is small in the garage. Is the translation correct?

Asked 5 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Andrew,

If you say -

'C'est petit dans mon garage'

What is actually meant is -

'There isn't much room in my garage' 

Hope this helps!

 

Daniel T.A1Kwiziq community member

Perhaps an alternate translation could've been provided in addition to the one given, so that the context of the excercise was clear.

Otherwise, one might come up with (such as I did, and admittedly missing the point of the excercise): "Oui, mais c'est grand dans mon garage." ... pointing out that a car of such small size would actually appear big in a garage that's just as small.

From "C'est petit dans mon garage," I get the impression that it should be: "Your car is so small. - Yes, it's small even in my garage (which, by the way, doesn't have much room to begin with)."

Linda R.A2Kwiziq community member

I picked up on this issue also.  I thought the desired French translation could have  been:  "Oui, mais mon garage est petit."  But that would miss the point of the use of C'est.

If the English was given as 'There isn't much room in my garage'  or "It (my garage) is small"  I might not have been prompted to question it.  :)

Nonetheless, I learned something useful.  :)  

Andrew L. asked:

translation

The translation given for "Ta voiture est petite. - Oui, mais c'est petit dans mon garage.""Your car is small. - Yes, but my garage is small."

The second sentence seems like it should be the car that is small in the garage. Is the translation correct?

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Márcio A.A2Kwiziq community member

C'est x Elle est

In the sentence "She's a French actress", supposing I'm pointing out to a picture of the actress in my hand or the actress is standing herself by my side, presenting her to others, in these cases, can I say "Elle est une actrice française" ? Or even though it remains "C'est une actrice française" ?

Asked 5 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Marcio,

You can say;-

Elle est actrice” 

Or 

Elle est française” 

But 

“C’est une actrice française” is the only correct sentence...

You cannot say ‘Il est un...’

Elle est une ...’ in French 

Márcio A. asked:

C'est x Elle est

In the sentence "She's a French actress", supposing I'm pointing out to a picture of the actress in my hand or the actress is standing herself by my side, presenting her to others, in these cases, can I say "Elle est une actrice française" ? Or even though it remains "C'est une actrice française" ?

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Gloria B.A1Kwiziq community member

Why de grands hommes and not des grands hommes..?

Asked 7 years ago
Ron T.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer
Bonjour Gloria,
Here is the lesson that addresses this exact scenario:
"Des" becomes " de/d' " in front of adjectives preceding nouns (French Partitive Articles)">"Des" becomes " de/d' " in front of adjectives preceding nouns (French Partitive Articles)

In short, des is the contracted version of de + les .
Bonne chance.
Gloria B. asked:

Why de grands hommes and not des grands hommes..?

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Matt H.A1Kwiziq community member

Uses of C'est

Hello, I am a bit confused about the standalone adject + c'est constructions. I thought that to use c'est it needed to proceed a noun within the sentence. Is what I'm seeing here a special case? Or do I have it completely mixed up (which wouldn't come as a great shock to me lol)?
Asked 7 years ago
Matt H.A1Kwiziq community member
Disregard my question. I just discovered the answer. :)
L. I.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Here's the lesson you might be looking fir! C'est, ce sont = this is, these are (French Demonstrative Pronouns)%252Fsearch%253Fs%253DC%252527est
Matt H.A1Kwiziq community member
Merci beaucoup!
Matt H. asked:

Uses of C'est

Hello, I am a bit confused about the standalone adject + c'est constructions. I thought that to use c'est it needed to proceed a noun within the sentence. Is what I'm seeing here a special case? Or do I have it completely mixed up (which wouldn't come as a great shock to me lol)?

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D. K.A2Kwiziq community member

...not for the day of Luuuurve

what's a luuuurve? Did you mean love?
Asked 7 years ago
Ron T.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
pas pour le jour de l'Amoooouuuur! That seems like a possible error or une blague. Read, le jour de l'Amour.
D. K. asked:

...not for the day of Luuuurve

what's a luuuurve? Did you mean love?

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Clever stuff happening!