French Grammar in Context

(lu) #1
2 FORM
a Falloir is an irregular verb, and the following forms should be noted.
indicative
il faut (present) il fallait (imperfect) fallu (past participle, used to
il faudra (future) il a fallu (passé composé) form all compound tenses)
il faudrait (conditional) il fallut (past historic)
subjunctive
(qu’) il faille (present)
il ait fallu (perfect)
il fallût (imperfect)
il eût fallu (pluperfect)
b S’agir de conjugates as a regular -ir verb, thus.
indicative subjunctive
il s’agit (present) il s’agisse (present)
il s’agira (future)
il s’agirait (conditional)
il s’agissait (imperfect)
This verb, exceptionally among impersonal verbs, is also found in the present participle,s’agissant.
c As noted above, the verb il y a is formed from the infinitive (y) avoir and notfrom être. It is
vital to remember this when conjugating the verb in its full range of tenses, thus:
indicative subjunctive
il y a (present) il y ait (present)
il y aura (future) il y ait eu (perfect)
il y aurait (conditional) il y eût (imperfect)
il y avait (imperfect) il y eût eu (pluperfect, v. rare)
il y a eu (passé composé)
il y avait eu (pluperfect)
il y eut (past historic)

It is particularly important to note that in compound tenses, the auxiliary used is avoir, and
that the past participle is eu (from avoir), notété (from être).

See for further information: Coffman Crocker, no references
Ferrar, p. 218
Hawkins and Towell, pp. 218–20
Judge and Healey, pp. 202–3, 230
L’Huillier, pp. 252–61
Price, pp. 253–6
Turk and Vandaele, pp. 211–15

166 French Grammar in Context

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