I need help understanding the present subjunctive in French and also the usage of Il faut in said sentence
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/foreign-languages/french/french-ii/french-ii-the-subjunctive/the-present-subjunctive
Sure! I can explain the present subjunctive and the usage of "il faut" in French.
In French grammar, the present subjunctive is used to express doubt, uncertainty, necessity, desire, or emotion. It is commonly used in dependent clauses after certain verbs, expressions, or conjunctions. When using the present subjunctive, the verb form changes depending on the subject.
To form the present subjunctive, you generally take the third-person plural form of the verb in the present tense, remove the -ent ending, and add the appropriate subjunctive endings. For example, for the verb "parler" (to speak), the present subjunctive forms are:
- que je parle (that I speak)
- que tu parles (that you speak)
- qu'il/elle parle (that he/she speaks)
- que nous parlions (that we speak)
- que vous parliez (that you speak)
- qu'ils/elles parlent (that they speak)
Now, onto the usage of "il faut." The phrase "il faut" translates to "it is necessary" or "one must." It is commonly used to express obligation or necessity. In a sentence, "il faut" is followed by a verb in the infinitive form.
For example:
- Il faut étudier. (It is necessary to study.)
- Il faut que tu viennes demain. (You must come tomorrow.)
- Il faut que nous soyons prêts à temps. (We must be ready on time.)
In summary, the present subjunctive is used to express doubt, uncertainty, necessity, desire, or emotion. It is formed by taking the third-person plural form of the verb in the present tense and adding the appropriate subjunctive endings. "Il faut" is used to express obligation or necessity and is followed by a verb in the infinitive form.