 |
|
| Share / Tweet / Pin Me! | |
Expressions impersonnelles
Grammatically, "impersonal" has nothing to do with feelings: it means invariable in regard to grammatical person. So impersonal expressions are those which use an impersonal subject: "it" in English, and il or ce in French. The meaning of the two French pronouns is identical in impersonal expressions, but ce is a bit informal and therefore more common when speaking, whereas il is more common in writing. Otherwise, they are interchangeable.*
Impersonal expressions are used in three types of constructions.
1) Il est / C’est + adjective + que + subordinate clause
In this construction, the only thing you need to worry about is whether the verb in the subordinate clause needs to be in the indicative or subjunctive.
Par exemple…
| Il est évident que les fleurs sont artificielles. C’est évident que les fleurs sont artificielles. |
It’s obvious that the flowers are fake. | |
| Il est étonnant que tu aies raison. C’est étonnant que tu aies raison. |
It’s amazing that you’re right. |
2) Il est / C’est + adjective + preposition + infinitive
Il est and c’est are still interchangeable, but the preposition required – à or de – depends on whether il / ce is a real subject or a dummy subject.
When il or ce is a real subject, meaning that it refers to a previously mentioned noun, you need the preposition à.
Par exemple…
| Il est facile à comprendre. C’est facile à comprendre. |
That’s easy to understand. (what you just said is easy to understand) |
|
| Il est impossible à trouver. C’est impossible à trouver. |
It’s impossible to find. (the restaurant I just mentioned is impossible to find) |
Note that when dealing with a real subject that is feminine, il changes to elle.
Par exemple…
| Elle est impossible à trouver. C’est impossible à trouver. |
It’s impossible to find. (the house I just mentioned is impossible to find) |
When il or ce is a dummy subject standing in for the verb that comes after, you need the preposition de.
Par exemple…
| Il est important d’étudier. C’est important d’étudier. |
It’s important to study. (Studying is important.) |
|
| Il est logique de craindre la mort. C’est logique de craindre la mort. |
It’s logical to be afraid of death. (Being afraid of death is logical.) |
3) C’est + adjective
Of course you can also use impersonal expressions on their own, in response to something. In this case, c’est is the correct version to use.
Par exemple…
| Tu dois travailler, c’est essentiel. | You have to work, it’s essential. | |
| – Il va partir à midi ? – C’est exact. |
– He’s going to leave at noon? – That’s right. |
Page 1: Using impersonal expressions
Page 2: List of impersonal expressions
* C’est and il est are interchangeable only in impersonal expressions. For other uses, see C’est vs il est.
Related lessons
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!
This free website is created with love and a great deal of work. If you love it, please consider making a 
The letter combination il has various pronunciations depending on what precedes it.
Le festival de Cannes is one of the most famous film festivals in the world, and it takes place every May in the beautiful south of France. This issue of Lawless French à fond is all about movies and movie festivals.
A self-study French course divided into 30 loosely themed units consisting of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation lessons; cultural tips; and assorted quizzes along the way.
An indirect object is a person that someone or something does something to indirectly. In both French and English, indirect objects are often replaced with indirect object pronouns.