Answers
Jan 22, 2017 - 03:16 AM
Il y a = there are/is, c'est = it is, il y a is to say that something exists, c'est is referring to something specific. Est-ce que c'est cette valise-là ? Is it that suitcase there ? While you are pointing at it. Or you could say something like Est-ce que la valise est là ? Is the suitcase there ? In this case the suitcase might be there but I'm probably not pointing at it. I could also say, Est-ce que c'est cette valise-ci ? Is it this suitcase here ? Does that make a little more sense?
Jan 22, 2017 - 08:04 PM
Thank you Mike, that helps. I think I get it...
Apr 04, 2017 - 10:00 AM
That's right, Il y a means There is or There are, while C'est means This is or It is, it is used to point at something or to describe something.
Whenever you attach "-ci" or "-là" after a noun, you always use the hyphen. This is used to point at something, as in: This suitcase here or That restaurant there: Cette valise-ci, Ce restaurant-là.
In other contexts, "là" can be used on its own to mean "there" and "ici" means "here", in this case they go without hyphen, as in: Le restaurant est ici, The restaurant is here or Ma valise est là, My suitcase is there.
Whenever you attach "-ci" or "-là" after a noun, you always use the hyphen. This is used to point at something, as in: This suitcase here or That restaurant there: Cette valise-ci, Ce restaurant-là.
In other contexts, "là" can be used on its own to mean "there" and "ici" means "here", in this case they go without hyphen, as in: Le restaurant est ici, The restaurant is here or Ma valise est là, My suitcase is there.
