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14.6. Il faut que…

Saying What One Should Do Using the Present Subjunctive

14.6.1. The Main Idea

To say what someone should do, must do, or needs to do, French often uses il faut que + subject + subjunctive.

Il faut étudier.	It is necessary to study. / You have to study.
Il faut que tu étudies.	You have to study. / You should study.
Il faut partir.	It is necessary to leave. / We have to leave.
Il faut que nous partions.	We have to leave. / We should leave.

Use il faut + infinitive when the subject is general.

Use il faut que + subject + subjunctive when you name who should do the action.

14.6.2. Il Faut + Infinitive vs. Il Faut Que

Il faut écouter.	One must listen. / You have to listen. general
Il faut que tu écoutes.	You have to listen.
Il faut poser des questions.	One must ask questions.
Il faut que les étudiants posent des questions.	Students have to ask questions.
Il faut respecter toutes les cultures.	One must respect all cultures.
Il faut que nous respections toutes les cultures.	We have to respect all cultures.

Tiny grammar lantern: after il faut que, the verb usually enters the subjunctive.

14.6.3. Forming the Present Subjunctive

For many verbs, start with the ils / elles form of the present tense, remove -ent, and add the subjunctive endings.

Present ils/elles form	Stem	Subjunctive
ils parlent	parl-	que je parle
ils finissent	finiss-	que je finisse
ils répondent	répond-	que je réponde

The endings are:

Subject	Ending
je	-e
tu	-es
il / elle / on	-e
nous	-ions
vous	-iez
ils / elles	-ent

14.6.4. Example: Parler

que je parle	that I speak
que tu parles	that you speak
qu’il parle	that he speaks
qu’elle parle	that she speaks
que nous parlions	that we speak
que vous parliez	that you speak
qu’ils parlent	that they speak
qu’elles parlent	that they speak

Examples:

Il faut que je parle français.	I have to speak French.
Il faut que tu parles lentement.	You have to speak slowly.
Il faut qu’il parle avec le professeur.	He has to speak with the teacher.
Il faut que nous parlions plus souvent.	We have to speak more often.

14.6.5. Example: Finir

que je finisse	that I finish
que tu finisses	that you finish
qu’il finisse	that he finishes
qu’elle finisse	that she finishes
que nous finissions	that we finish
que vous finissiez	that you finish
qu’ils finissent	that they finish
qu’elles finissent	that they finish

Examples:

Il faut que je finisse mes devoirs.	I have to finish my homework.
Il faut que tu finisses ce travail.	You have to finish this work.
Il faut qu’elle finisse son projet.	She has to finish her project.
Il faut que nous finissions avant demain.	We have to finish before tomorrow.

14.6.6. Example: Répondre

que je réponde	that I answer
que tu répondes	that you answer
qu’il réponde	that he answers
qu’elle réponde	that she answers
que nous répondions	that we answer
que vous répondiez	that you answer
qu’ils répondent	that they answer
qu’elles répondent	that they answer

Examples:

Il faut que je réponde à la question.	I have to answer the question.
Il faut que tu répondes au message.	You have to answer the message.
Il faut qu’ils répondent rapidement.	They have to answer quickly.

14.6.7. Common Irregular Subjunctive Forms

Some very common verbs are irregular in the subjunctive.

Verb	Subjunctive Forms
être	que je sois, que tu sois, qu’il soit, que nous soyons, que vous soyez, qu’ils soient
avoir	que j’aie, que tu aies, qu’il ait, que nous ayons, que vous ayez, qu’ils aient
aller	que j’aille, que tu ailles, qu’il aille, que nous allions, que vous alliez, qu’ils aillent
faire	que je fasse, que tu fasses, qu’il fasse, que nous fassions, que vous fassiez, qu’ils fassent
pouvoir	que je puisse, que tu puisses, qu’il puisse, que nous puissions, que vous puissiez, qu’ils puissent
savoir	que je sache, que tu saches, qu’il sache, que nous sachions, que vous sachiez, qu’ils sachent

14.6.8. Useful Sentences with Irregular Verbs

Il faut que je sois patient.	I have to be patient. masculine speaker
Il faut que tu aies du temps.	You have to have time.
Il faut qu’elle aille à la gare.	She has to go to the train station.
Il faut que nous fassions attention.	We have to pay attention.
Il faut que vous puissiez venir.	You have to be able to come.
Il faut qu’ils sachent la vérité.	They have to know the truth.

14.6.9. With Opinions and Importance

The subjunctive often appears after impersonal expressions of necessity or importance.

Il est important que tu comprennes.	It is important that you understand.
Il est essentiel que nous respections toutes les cultures.	It is essential that we respect all cultures.
Il est nécessaire que les étudiants posent des questions.	It is necessary that students ask questions.
Il vaut mieux que tu attendes ici.	It is better that you wait here.

This connects with earlier patterns:

Il est important de comprendre.	It is important to understand. general
Il est important que tu comprennes.	It is important that you understand. specific subject

14.6.10. Negative Sentences

Place ne… pas around the subjunctive verb.

Il faut que tu parles.	Il ne faut pas que tu parles.
Il faut que tu partes.	Il ne faut pas que tu partes.
Il faut qu’il vienne.	Il ne faut pas qu’il vienne.
Il faut que nous attendions.	Il ne faut pas que nous attendions.

Examples:

Il ne faut pas que tu partes maintenant.	You must not leave now.
Il ne faut pas que nous oubliions.	We must not forget.
Il ne faut pas qu’ils parlent trop vite.	They must not speak too fast.

14.6.11. Connecting with Devoir, Il Faut, and the Imperative

French has several ways to say what someone should do.

Étudie.	Study. direct command
Tu dois étudier.	You have to study. obligation
Tu devrais étudier.	You should study. softer advice
Il faut étudier.	One must study. general
Il faut que tu étudies.	You have to study. specific person
Il est important que tu étudies.	It is important that you study.

These forms are like different brightness settings on the same lamp: direct, softer, general, or formal.

14.6.12. Core Patterns

il faut + infinitive	one must / you have to ___
il faut que + subject + subjunctive	someone has to ___
il est important que + subject + subjunctive	it is important that someone ___
il est essentiel que + subject + subjunctive	it is essential that someone ___
il ne faut pas que + subject + subjunctive	someone must not ___
present ils form → stem → subjunctive endings	ils parlent → parl- → que je parle
common irregulars	sois, aie, aille, fasse, puisse, sache

14.6.13. Practice

You have to study. specific, informal
We have to leave.
I have to finish my homework.
It is important that you understand. informal
It is essential that we respect all cultures.
She has to go to the station.
We have to pay attention.
You must not leave now. informal

14.6.14. Answers

You have to study. specific, informal	Il faut que tu étudies.
We have to leave.	Il faut que nous partions.
I have to finish my homework.	Il faut que je finisse mes devoirs.
It is important that you understand. informal	Il est important que tu comprennes.
It is essential that we respect all cultures.	Il est essentiel que nous respections toutes les cultures.
She has to go to the station.	Il faut qu’elle aille à la gare.
We have to pay attention.	Il faut que nous fassions attention.
You must not leave now. informal	Il ne faut pas que tu partes maintenant.

14.6.15. Short Dialogue

A : À ton avis, qu’est-ce qu’il faut faire ?	A: In your opinion, what should we do?
B : Il faut que nous parlions au professeur.	B: We have to speak to the teacher.
A : Pourquoi ?	A: Why?
B : Parce qu’il est important que nous comprenions la question.	B: Because it is important that we understand the question.
A : D’accord. Il ne faut pas que nous oubliions.	A: Okay. We must not forget.

14.6.16. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to use il faut que + subjunctive to say what someone should or must do, compare it with il faut + infinitive, recognize common irregular subjunctive forms, and use related expressions such as il est important que, il est essentiel que, and il ne faut pas que.

14.6.17. Try It Out

Try saying this in French:

You have to study.

It is important that you understand.

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Possible answer:

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