A2BeginnerVerbs · Point 13 / 40
Il faut + infinitif, Il faut + nom, Il ne faut pas + infinitif
“Il faut” means “it is necessary”.
| Structure | Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Il faut | + infinitif | a general obligation. |
| Il faut | + nom | something that is needed. |
| Il ne faut pas | + infinitif | a prohibition or a bad idea. |
The “il” refers to nobody in particular: the sentence applies to everyone. In the negative, “il ne faut pas” means “you must not” or “it is a bad idea”.
In context
Examples from our dialogues
Lines taken from our dialogues. Listen to them, then open the full dialogue to hear them in a real situation.
- Listen
Il faut lire le chapitre 4 et répondre aux questions.
You need to read chapter 4 and answer the questions.
Check The Full DialogueTalking to a professorParler à un professeur
A2 - Listen
Est-ce qu'il faut s'inscrire ?
Do we need to sign up?
Check The Full DialogueDiscovering the library's activitiesDécouvrir les activités de la bibliothèque
A2 - Listen
Oui, mais il faut réserver vite, ça se remplit.
Yes, but we need to book fast, it sells out.
Check The Full DialogueGoing to a concertAller à un concert
A2 - Listen
Bien sûr, prenez votre temps. Vous avez le droit. Il ne faut jamais signer sous pression.
Of course, take your time. It's your right. You should never sign under pressure.
Check The Full DialogueViewing an apartment to rentVisiter un logement à louer
B1
Watch out
Common mistakes
Mistakes you will often hear, and the right way to say it.
Il faut que vous apportez une pièce d’identité.Il faut apporter une pièce d’identité.
Keep it simple: “il faut” + infinitive. “Il faut que…” exists, but it needs the subjunctive (“que vous apportiez”), which comes later.
Read
Related readings
Short texts where this point comes up. Read them to see it inside a story.