Impersonal Verbs in French
Some verbs in French are called verbes impersonnels(impersonal verbs). These verbs can only be used with the subject il, where il doesn't mean he and doesn't refer to anyone or anything. Instead, it's a dummy subject: a subject that exists only for grammatical reasons, like when it is used in English to talk about the weather or time.
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In this article, you'll learn what impersonal verbs are and how to use them. Allons-y !(Let's go!)
Questions This Article Answers
What are impersonal verbs in French?
Why do impersonal verbs use il?
What does il y a mean?
Can verbs be both personal and impersonal in French?
What's an Impersonal Verb?
A verbe impersonnel(impersonal verb) is a verb that can only be used in the third-person singular with the impersonal subject il. In this case, il doesn't represent a person, object, or idea. It's just a dummy subject used to satisfy the grammar rule that a sentence requires a subject.
Think of it like English: we say it rains even though it doesn't refer to anything. Just rains isn’t a full sentence. French works the same way: il is just a dummy word that acts as the subject of the sentence.
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Common Impersonal Verbs
Impersonal verbs can describe weather or natural phenomena.
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| bruiner | to drizzle lightly |
| grêler | to hail |
| neiger | to snow |
| pleuvioter | to drizzle |
| pleuvoir | to rain |
| tonner | to thunder |
| venter | to be windy |
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Other impersonal verbs can take on various meanings.
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Translating French Impersonal Constructions into English
You may have noticed in the examples above that the English translations do not necessarily preserve the French impersonal construction. While some remain impersonal (e.g., It's simply a mistake), others are rendered more naturally with a personal subject (e.g., You might be right instead of It is possible that you are right). Don't be surprised—this shift is common when translating from French to English!
Some Verbs Can Be Both Personal and Impersonal
A few verbs on the list above can be used in two different ways: personally or impersonally, depending on the meaning. When a verb is impersonal, the subject is always the dummy il, and the sentence describes a general event or situation. When it's personal, the verb has a "real" subject that performs or experiences the action.
For example, here are impersonal and personal uses of the verb arriver:
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And here’s the same thing for the verb manquer:
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The verb form doesn't change. It's the presence or absence of a "real" subject that makes the verb personal or impersonal—which in turn changes the translation.
Avoir, Être, and Faire Used Impersonally
Some of the most common verbs in French, avoir(to have), être(to be), and faire(to do), can also be used impersonally.
Impersonal Avoir
Avoir can be used impersonally in the fixed expression il y ato talk about the weather or to mean there is/there are. It can also be used as an adverb to mean ago.
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Il Y A in Other Tenses
Impersonal il y a isn't frozen in the present tense. It can appear in any tense! Here are just a few examples:
When il y a means ago, it usually stays in the present tense:
Impersonal Être
Être can be used impersonally to talk about time or to make a judgment.
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Il Est in Other Tenses
Impersonal il est can appear in any tense! Here are just a few examples:
Impersonal Faire
Faire can be used impersonally in the fixed expression il faitto talk about the weather or ambient conditions.
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Il Fait in Other Tenses
Impersonal il fait can also appear in any tense! Here are just a few examples:
Learn more about French verbs and tenses in these articles!
