What’s the difference between “C’est” and “Il est”?

When you first learn French, it seems easy: C’est means “It is/It’s” or “That is/That’s”, and Il est or Elle est means “He is/He’s” or “She is/She’s” (or “It is/It’s” if the “It” is an object, animal, etc.). But pretty soon, you’ll probably notice something strange. At times, c’est and il est seem to be …

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How to conjugate prendre + related phrases

Prendre means “to take” in French. It’s usually used just as “take” would be in English, including in more abstract ways, like “take a photo” or “take a bath”. That might make you take prendre for an easy verb to use, but beware: in some cases, its meaning can change dramatically. Let’s take a look …

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Voir: How to use and conjugate the French verb | With Audio

Voir means “to see” in French.  As with the verb ‘see’ in English, it can be used literally or figuratively, and is a part of a number of common phrases and expressions. Let’s see a little more about voir. Voir conjugation Voir is an irregular verb, which means you’ll have to memorize its conjugations. A …

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8 Ways to Say “May” in French

May I have a moment of your time to talk about the word “may” in French? ….Actually, it may take more than a moment, since “may” is one of those words that doesn’t have a single or precise French equivalent.  May I accompany you on this journey to learn about “may” in French? The meanings …

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Everything You Need to Know About the French Verb “Savoir”

Savoir means “to know” in French. Let’s explore all things savoir, starting with its conjugation. Savoir conjugation Savoir is an irregular verb, which means you’ll have to memorize its conjugations. A small consolation is that it’s conjugated with avoir in compound tenses, so you don’t have to agree the participle and the subject in a …

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All About “Mettre”, One of the Most Underrated French Verbs

As French verbs go, mettre isn’t the most exciting. It’s got practical definitions, it isn’t living a double life, and it doesn’t immediately evoke big, thrilling feelings like inspiration.  But mettre might also be one of the most underrated verbs in French. It’s used in so many ways and in so many expressions that it’s …

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