Impersonal Verbs and Expressions in French

This section explains impersonal verbs and expressions in French and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.

What Are Impersonal Verbs?

Impersonal verbs and expressions in French are verbs that do not have a specific subject. Instead, they use the pronoun “il”, which is an impersonal subject and does not refer to a person or thing.

• In English, impersonal verbs often translate as “it” (e.g., “It is raining” → “Il pleut”).
• These verbs are mostly used in the third person singular (il), and they do not change for different subjects.

Common Impersonal Verbs 

1. Weather Verbs (Les verbes météorologiques)
   These verbs describe the weather and always use "il".

Example Sentences:

• Il pleut beaucoup aujourd’hui. (It is raining a lot today.)
• En hiver, il neige souvent. (In winter, it often snows.)

Time Expressions
These verbs indicate time and always start with "il".

Example Sentences:

• Il est déjà huit heures ! (It is already 8 o’clock!)
• Il y a cinq minutes, j’étais encore au lit. (Five minutes ago, I was still in bed.)

Expressions with "Il Faut" (Necessity & Obligation)

Il faut is used to express necessity or obligation. It is followed by an infinitive verb.

Example Sentences:

• Il faut faire attention en classe. (You must pay attention in class.)
• Il faut arriver à l’heure. (It is necessary to arrive on time.)

Higher Tier: You can also add a noun or subjunctive clause after "il faut".

• Il faut du courage pour parler en public. (You need courage to speak in public.)
• Il faut que tu fasses tes devoirs. (You must do your homework.)

Other Useful Impersonal Expressions

Expressions with “Il est…”
These are used to describe situations, opinions, or emotions. They are often followed by an adjective + de + infinitive.

Example Sentences:

• Il est important de boire de l’eau. (It is important to drink water.)
• Il est difficile de comprendre cette règle. (It is difficult to understand this rule.)

Higher Tier: You can also use the subjunctive instead of an infinitive:

• Il est important que tu réussisses. (It is important that you succeed.)
• Il est nécessaire que nous partions maintenant. (It is necessary that we leave now.)

Expressions with “Il semble que…” (It seems that…)

• Il semble que tu sois fatigué. (It seems that you are tired.)
• Il me semble que c’est une bonne idée. (It seems to me that it’s a good idea.)

Higher Tier: If expressing doubt or uncertainty, use the subjunctive.

• Il semble que ce soit faux. (It seems that this is false.)

Higher Tier: More Complex Impersonal Structures

Expressions of Probability and Certainty

• Il est probable que… (It is probable that…)
• Il est certain que… (It is certain that…)
• Il est peu probable que… (It is unlikely that…)

Example Sentences:

• Il est probable qu’elle vienne demain. (It is probable that she will come tomorrow.)
• Il est peu probable qu’il pleuve aujourd’hui. (It is unlikely that it will rain today.)

Higher Tier: If there is uncertainty, use the subjunctive.

• Il est possible qu’il fasse froid ce soir. (It is possible that it will be cold tonight.)

Summary Table: Key Impersonal Expressions

Final Tips for Using Impersonal Verbs in Exams

For Foundation Tier, focus on simple expressions like il pleut, il faut, and il est important de.

For Higher Tier, try using impersonal expressions with subjunctive (e.g., Il est nécessaire que tu viennes).

Remember that “il” in these expressions never refers to a person! It’s just a grammatical structure.

By mastering impersonal verbs, you can sound more natural in French and improve your writing and speaking marks.