Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Verbs-with-personal-subject-used-impersonally"
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Revision as of 15:41, 12 November 2021
Examples
- Il se passe ici des choses qui vous intéresseront sûrement
There are things going on here which will probably interest you
- Il est arrivé hier soir un événement très curieux
A very unusual event took place yesterday evening
- Il convient d'être très circonspect de nos jours
It is sensible to be very careful these days
- Il nous arrive assez souvent de recevoir des personnalités importantes
We quite often have important people as guests
- II manque des couverts à cette table
This table has not been laid properly
- Il y va de sa vie
His life is at stake
- Il nous manque plusieurs de nos camarades ce soir
Several of our comrades are missing tonight
- Il ne me souvient pas d'avoir été présenté à cette personne
I don't (seem to) remember having been introduced to this person (formal language)
“être” can also be used impersonally
“être” can also be used impersonally, either in set expressions or more formally as an alternative to il y a:
- Il est grand temps que nous partions
It is high time we went
- Il n'est absolument pas question d'attendre
There can be no question of waiting
- Il est dommage d'avoir attendu si longtemps
It is a pity to have waited so long
- Est-il besoin de vous le rappeler? (formal style)
Is there any need to remind you ?
- Il est des jours où l'on souhaiterait être ailleurs
There are days when one would wish to be elsewhere
= Introduce fairy stories
There are two set phrases used to introduce fairy stories:
- « Il était une fois » and « Il y avait une fois »
Once upon a time …