French · Everyday Verbs
"to be" in French: être
être
To be in French is être. Present forms include je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes. Use être for identity, jobs, and many descriptions.
Introducing yourself
J'aime être étudiant à Lyon.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce être
Say it
EH-truh
/ɛtʁ/
Être is roughly EH-truh, with a soft final schwa. Suis sounds like swee. Est sounds like eh. Sommes is sum with a soft s.
"to be" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| être | to be The infinitive. | The infinitive. |
| je suis / tu es / il est | I am / you are / he is Core present forms. | Core present forms. |
| nous sommes / vous êtes | we are / you are Plural and formal you. | Plural and formal you. |
| c'est | it is / this is Pointing out people and things. | Pointing out people and things. |
How to use être in real life
- 1Introducing yourself
J'aime être étudiant à Lyon.
I like being a student in Lyon.
Jobs and roles use être, not avoir.
- 2Getting ready with a friend
Il faut être prêt pour commencer.
You have to be ready to start.
The infinitive être shows up after il faut.
- 3Naming the verb
Le verbe être est partout en français.
The verb être is everywhere in French.
Learners meet être from the first lesson.
Mistakes English speakers make with être
Incorrect: J'ai étudiant. (sans être)
Correct: Je suis étudiant. On utilise être.
Professions and identity use être, not avoir.
Incorrect: Je suis 25 ans. (avec être)
Correct: J'ai 25 ans. (pas être pour l'âge)
Age uses avoir. Être is not for how old you are.
Good to know
French splits some ideas English covers with "to be": age and hunger use avoir (j'ai … ans, j'ai faim), while jobs and nationality use être. Learning that split early prevents classic beginner errors.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
First day in a conversation class
ChatPal
Bonjour ! Je suis Léa, votre professeure.
Hello! I am Léa, your teacher.
You
Enchanté. Je suis Alex, et je suis débutant.
Nice to meet you. I am Alex, and I am a beginner.
ChatPal
Parfait. Vous êtes prêt pour commencer ?
Perfect. Are you ready to start?
You
Oui ! Être débutant, c'est normal ici.
Yes! Being a beginner is normal here.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to be" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to be" in French
What are the main present forms of être?
Je suis, tu es, il/elle/on est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.
When do I use c'est instead of il est?
C'est often introduces something: c'est Paul, c'est bon. Il est often starts descriptions: il est fatigué.
Does être mean location too?
Yes: je suis à Paris. French also uses se trouver and other verbs, but être is fine for beginners.
Why not j'ai français for "I am French"?
Nationality uses être: je suis français / française.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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