Conjugation of Falloir in French

"Falloir" is an essential impersonal verb in French, expressing necessity or obligation. Its unique conjugation and usage can be challenging for learners, but mastering it will significantly enhance your French language skills.

Basic Conjugation

"Falloir" is only conjugated in the third person singular (il) form:

• Present: il faut
• Imparfait: il fallait
• Passé composé: il a fallu
• Futur simple: il faudra
• Conditional: il faudrait

Usage and Expressions

Expressing Necessity

"Falloir" is commonly used to express necessity or obligation:

• Il faut étudier pour réussir. (It's necessary to study to succeed.)
• Il faudra partir tôt demain. (We'll need to leave early tomorrow.)

With Que + Subjunctive

When followed by a clause, "falloir" requires "que" and the subjunctive mood:

• Il faut que tu viennes immédiatement. (You need to come immediately.)
• Il faudrait que nous finissions le projet avant vendredi. (We should finish the project before Friday.)

Idiomatic Expressions

"Falloir" appears in several idiomatic expressions:

• Comme il faut: properly, as it should be
• Il s'en faut de peu: it's very close
• Il ne faut pas: one must not / shouldn't

Tips for Learners

1. Practice using "falloir" in different tenses to express various levels of necessity.
2. Remember that "falloir" is always impersonal, so it only uses "il" as its subject.
3. Pay attention to the use of the subjunctive mood when "falloir" is followed by "que."

Understanding and correctly using "falloir" will greatly improve your ability to express obligations and necessities in French, a crucial skill for effective communication.