[vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”A Complete Guide to Understanding Impersonal Verbs in French” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h1″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#0168bc”][vc_column_text css=””]Impersonal verbs and expressions play a vital role in French grammar, allowing you to express general ideas and statements. These verbs, such as “il faut” (it is necessary) and “il pleut” (it is raining), rely on an impersonal subject. This means they maintain a consistent form, making them easy to use regardless of the speaker’s perspective. Understanding these constructions will enhance your ability to communicate effectively in French.
Using impersonal expressions makes your sentences sound more natural and fluent. They are essential for discussing weather, necessity, and possibilities. As you dive deeper into the world of French, mastering impersonal verbs will enrich your vocabulary and improve your conversational skills. Whether you’re describing the weather or stating requirements, knowing how to use these expressions is fundamental for your language journey.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”24227″ img_size=”700×400″ css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”1. Understanding Impersonal Verbs” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#1e8bea”][vc_column_text css=””]First, impersonal verbs are unique in grammar and available at any French tense you need. They do not change based on the subject and typically use the pronoun “il,” meaning “it.” However, they can also start with a demonstrative pronoun “ce” or “ça”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”1.1 The Basics of Impersonal Verbs” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]Impersonal verbs are verbs that do not have a specific subject. Instead, they are often expressed in the third person singular with “il.” This means they maintain the same form regardless of the subject. Common impersonal verbs include “faire,” “pleuvoir,” and “neiger.”
For example:
- Il fait beau (The weather is nice).
- Il pleut (It is raining).
- Il neige (It is snowing).
These verbs are commonly used for general statements or to describe weather conditions. Their fixed conjugation simplifies learning because they don’t require adjustments for different pronouns. And you can of course conjugate these verbs at any tense you like. For instance, “hier, il a fait très chaud” (yesterday, it was very hot) or “demain, il va faire chaud” (tomorrow, it’s going to be very hot).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_icon icon_fontawesome=”far fa-lightbulb” color=”custom” size=”xl” align=”center” css=”” custom_color=”#1e8bea”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text css=””]To help you with conjugating these verbs, you could use apps such as Bescherelle, VaTeFaireConjuguer or Le Conjugueur. These are great tools for our busy life.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”1.2 Impersonal Verbs with ‘ce’ or ‘ça'” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]The pronouns ‘ce’ and ‘ça’ play also a significant role in impersonal expressions. For instance,
- C’est bon à savoir (it’s good to know)
- C’est facile à dire (it’s easy to say)
- Ça suffit ! (it’s enough). The infinitive is “suffire” (to suffice).
- Ça s’est bien passé (it went well), with the infinitive “se passer” (to happen).
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Sometimes, “c’est” can replace “il” to make the sentence more familiar. For example, we say :
- “Il est interdit de nourrir les animaux” (It’s forbidden to feed animals, more formal);
- “C’est interdit de fumer” (It’s forbidden to smoke).
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24229″ img_size=”700×400″ css=””][insignia_section_heading title=”2. Common Expressions and Usage” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#1e8bea”][vc_column_text css=””]Impersonal verbs and expressions in French help communicate various ideas without specifying a subject. Here are some common usage scenarios, including expressions related to weather, necessity, and time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2.1 Weather and Conditions” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]In French, weather expressions often use the impersonal subject “il.” Here are some key phrases:
- Il fait chaud (It is hot)
- Il fait froid (It is cold)
- Il fait beau (It is nice out)
- Il pleut (It is raining)
- Il gèle (It is freezing)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_icon icon_fontawesome=”far fa-lightbulb” color=”custom” size=”xl” align=”center” css=”” custom_color=”#1e8bea”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text css=””]To talk about the weather, you can also use “il y a + noun”, such as as in “Il y a du vent” (There is wind) or ““Il y a du soleil” (There is sun).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2.2 Expressions of Necessity” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]Impersonal expressions also convey necessity using “il faut” (falloir : to be necessary). This structure indicates that something must be done, as a general statement :
- Il faut travailler dur (You have to work hard)
- Il faut manger des légumes (You have to eat vegetables)
When you have a different subject in the sentence, you will need to use the French subjunctive such as “Il faut que nous fassions la vaisselle” (We have to clean the dishes).[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]In addition, you can use “il est nécessaire de” or “il est important de” to emphasize the importance of the action. Once again, using “il” instead of “c’est” have a more formal tone. Remember, using these structures effectively expresses what is needed in various situations.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2.3 Expressions of Time” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]Furthermore, time-related expressions in French often utilize “il est” and “il y a” to describe scenarios. For instance:
- Il est sept heures (It is seven o’clock)
- Elle est arrivée il y a un an (She arrived a year ago)
- Il y avait beaucoup de monde (there was a lot of people)
The structure “Il y a” is a bit tricky in French as it can mean “there is” but also “ago”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2.4 Additional Useful Impersonal Expressions” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h3″ font_weight=”font-weight-600″ heading_color=”#002766″][vc_column_text css=””]Finally, impersonal verbes allow you to express general statements or opinions without needing a specific subject. Let’s see together additional usages for these specific verbs :
| Impersonal Verb | Meaning |
| S‘agir de: | To be a question of, to aim |
| Il s’agit d’un tableau du XIXème siècle | This is a 19th century painting. |
| Il s’agit de promouvoir les transports publics | The aim of this is to promote public transport |
| Arriver: | To happen, to be a possibility |
| Qu’est-ce qu’il vous est arrivé ? | What happened to you ? |
| Il lui arrive de faire des erreurs. | He/She sometimes makes mistakes. |
| Convenir: | To be advisable, to be agreed |
| Il convient de signer ce contrat | It’s advisable to sign this contract |
| Il est convenu que nous déciderons demain. | It is agreed that we will decide tomorrow. |
| Importer: | To matter, be important |
| Il importe que vous veniez. | It’s important that you come. |
| Il importe de le faire. | It’s important to do it. |
| Se pouvoir: | To be possible |
| Il se peut que je parte en weekend | I might go away for the weekend. |
| Il se peut que l’avion soit en retard | The plane might be late. |
| Sembler: | To seem |
| Il semble qu’il va pleuvoir. | It looks like it’s going to rain. |
| Ça me semble possible. | It seems possible to me. |
| Tenir à: | To depend on |
| Il ne tient qu’à lui de décider. | It’s up to him to decide |
| Ça ne tient pas debout | It doesn’t make sense |
| Se trouver: | To turn out, to happen to be |
| Il se trouve que c’est mon anniversaire ! | It happens to be my birthday ! |
| Il se trouve que ce prix est justifié. | It turns out that this price is justified. |
| Valoir mieux: | To be better |
| Il vaut mieux y aller en vélo. | It’s better to go there by bike. |
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