falloir

to be necessary

verb fah-LWAHR Common

Also means

must

Usage Note

Falloir is a defective verb that lives almost entirely in the impersonal il faut, French's blunt way of saying one must or it is necessary. Its conditional il faudrait softens the order to 'one ought to', and the set phrase comme il faut means proper or well-behaved.

Examples

"Il faut partir maintenant."

Natural Translation

We have to leave now.

Literal Translation

It-is-necessary to-leave now.

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