Language/French/Grammar/How-to-use-«-il-s'agit-de-»-in-French
Definition: Impersonal Form
In French, an impersonal sentence typically has the following characteristics:
- The subject of the sentence is the word "il."
- The subject does not represent a specific person or thing.
Only Used Impersonally
The phrase “il s'agit de” is uniquely impersonal in its usage.
This phrase can be followed by a noun, an infinitive verb, or, though less commonly, a clause. English speakers often try to use it with a personal subject, such as "ce livre s'agit de...," which is incorrect in French.
Examples
- Il s'agit de votre mère
It's about your mother
- Il s'agit de faire ce qui vous plaît dans la vie
You have to do what pleases you / It's about doing what pleases you in life
- Il s'agit de persuader votre sœur
It is a matter of persuading your sister / It's about persuading your sister
- Il s'agissait de vous faire voir les choses de manière plus objective
It was an attempt to make you see things more objectively / It was about making you see things more objectively
- Tout au long du déroulement de ce projet, il s'est agi de travailler de manière acharnée
Throughout the course of this project, it was about working hard
- Il ne s'agit pas que vous preniez l'entière responsabilité sur vous et votre famille
It's not about you taking full responsibility for yourself and your family
- Il ne s'agit pas de prendre du retard sur la journée
We'd better not get behind schedule today / It's not about falling behind today
Expanded Usage
"Il s'agit de" can also be used in more complex sentences and in different tenses. It's useful for summarizing the essence or main point of a discussion, story, or argument.
- Il s'agira de prendre une décision importante.
It will be about making an important decision.
Video - How to use "il s'agit de..."
In this French lesson, you will learn how to use the expression "il s'agit de" in French.
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Videos
How to use the verb "S'AGIR" in French ? - From A2 to C1 - YouTube
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- Gender
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- Adjectives