Je suis un élève

NabeelC1Kwiziq community member

Je suis un élève

Is it correct or should be considered as a profession like étudiant ?
Asked 6 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Nabeel !

Very interesting question.

Here both could be used, with slightly different contexts.

If you were describing your "professional" situation - i.e. what you do in life - then you would indeed omit the article: 
Je suis pompier, je suis professeur, je suis élève.

However, you could also use Je suis un/une élève in the following contexts:
- if you were mistaken for a teacher, and wanted to contrast your situation:
"I'm a pupil, not a teacher."  -> Je suis un élève, pas un professeur.

- in cases such as "I'm one of his pupils" -> Je suis un de ses élèves.

- if you described what kind of pupil you are:
Je suis un excellent élève.

I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !

ClaudiaA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Hello, I know this is a cultural thing and no one can argue against it but really ... being a student is a profession? I don't think that I'd get too far posting on a resumee that I am a Student as a profession. You don't have to answer, this is me venting. :)
BrentC1Kwiziq community member

Aurélie, could you explain why you put "excellent" before the noun in your example...

Je suis un excellent élève.

whereas it's after the noun in the lesson's example...

Maurice est un professeur excellent.

Je suis un élève

Is it correct or should be considered as a profession like étudiant ?

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