Subjonctif with "il faut que"

At its core, il faut que is an impersonal expression. The il here doesn't mean "he." It’s like the "it" in "it is raining." It never changes. You’ll never say "je faut" or "tu faut." That’s the easy part! The tricky bit is what comes after the que. In English, we often say "I must go" or "It is necessary for me to go." In French, we say "It is necessary *that I go*." That "that" (que) acts as a bridge. Once you cross that bridge, you enter the Subjunctive zone. This means the verb that follows must be conjugated in the Subjunctive mood. It creates a two-part sentence structure. Part one: the trigger (il faut que). Part two: the action (the Subjunctive verb). It’s a team effort. Without the trigger, the Subjunctive has no reason to be there. Without the Subjunctive, the trigger is grammatically lonely. This structure allows you to target specific people. Unlike the general il faut + infinitive (which is for everyone), il faut que is personal. It’s the difference between saying "One must eat" and "You must eat your broccoli."

1. 1Creating the Subjunctive mood follows a very logical recipe. Even if the results look a bit weird at first, the steps are consistent. Here is how you build it:
2. 2Find the "they" form (ils/elles) of the verb in the present tense. For example, for parler, it’s ils parlent.
3. 3Chop off the -ent ending. This gives you your "Subjunctive stem." For parler, the stem is parl-.
4. 4Add the special Subjunctive endings to that stem. These are the magic keys.
5. 5Here are the endings you need to memorize:
6. 6For je: add -e (que je parle)
7. 7For tu: add -es (que tu parles)
8. 8For il/elle/on: add -e (qu'il parle)
9. 9For nous: add -ions (que nous parlions)
10. 10For vous: add -iez (que vous parliez)
11. 11For ils/elles: add -ent (qu'elles parlent)
12. 12Pro tip: Notice that je, tu, il, and ils often sound exactly the same as the regular present tense. The real "Subjunctive flavor" usually shows up in the nous and vous forms, which look like the Imparfait. Yes, French likes to recycle! Of course, there are rebels like être, avoir, and faire, but for 90% of verbs, this 1-2-3 step rule works perfectly.

You use il faut que whenever there’s a specific necessity or obligation. Think of it as your "Manager Mode." Use it when you are:

• Giving strong advice: Il faut que tu prennes des vacances. (You really need to take a vacation.)
• Setting rules at home: Il faut que vous finissiez vos devoirs. (You guys must finish your homework.)
• Navigating logistics: Il faut que nous partions à huit heures. (We have to leave at eight.)
• Ordering or requesting: Il faut que je parle au directeur. (I must speak to the director.)

Imagine you're at a job interview. You might say, Il faut que je montre mes compétences (I must show my skills). Or you're lost in Lyon: Il faut que je trouve la gare (I need to find the station). It’s direct but polite because the "obligation" comes from the situation, not just you being bossy. It feels more objective than saying tu dois (you must), which can sometimes feel like a finger-wagging lecture. It’s the difference between "You must go" and "It’s necessary that you go."

Don't use il faut que if you're talking about a general rule that applies to everyone. In those cases, keep it simple. Just use il faut followed by an infinitive (the base form of the verb). For example, Il faut manger pour vivre (One must eat to live). You aren't pointing at anyone specific; it’s just a fact of life. Also, don't use it for simple facts. If you're just saying what you *are* doing, use the regular present tense. Il faut que je parte (I must leave) vs Je pars (I am leaving). The Subjunctive is for the *necessity* of the action, not the action itself. Finally, if you're feeling lazy (we've all been there), you can often use devoir instead. Tu dois partir is much easier than Il faut que tu partes. However, if you want to sound like you’ve actually studied French, stick with the Subjunctive! It shows you know how the gears of the language turn.

The biggest trap is using the regular present tense after que. It’s tempting because they sound the same for many verbs, but for others, it’s a glaring error. For example, Il faut que tu fais is a major "no-no." The Subjunctive of faire is fasses. Another classic mistake is forgetting the que. In English, we drop "that" all the time ("I think [that] he is nice"). In French, que is the glue. If you drop it, the sentence falls apart. Il faut tu pars sounds like caveman speak to a native. Also, watch out for those nous and vous forms. Many learners forget the i in -ions and -iez. Saying il faut que nous parlons is wrong; it must be parlions. It’s a tiny letter, but it makes a huge difference. Think of that i as the "Incredible" marker of the Subjunctive! Lastly, don't try to make il plural. Ils faut que... doesn't exist. It’s always singular, always impersonal, and always ready to trigger some drama.

How does this stack up against je dois? Think of je dois (from the verb devoir) as the direct route. It’s like a straight line from me to the action. It’s personal and often feels like a personal debt or duty. Il faut que, on the other hand, feels a bit more "outside-in." It’s like the universe or the situation is demanding something. If you say Je dois étudier, it sounds like your own choice. If you say Il faut que j'étudie, it sounds like you have a massive exam tomorrow and have no choice. Another contrast is with il est nécessaire que. This is the twin of il faut que, but it’s much more formal. You’d use il est nécessaire que in a legal document or a very stiff speech. In daily life, il faut que is the king of the mountain. It hits that perfect sweet spot between being grammatically correct and sounding like a normal human being.