Il faudra aussi de délicieux lardons

C. F.C1Kwiziq community member

Il faudra aussi de délicieux lardons

Why isn’t there an infinite in the above phrase ? 

Asked 5 years ago
Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

As Chris says, "il faut" can also be followed by a noun. It's explained in this lesson:

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/how-to-express-necessity-or-obligation-with-the-expression-il-faut

I don't agree that "de" means "of". Surely it's the partitive article, meaning "some".  "Des" followed by an adjective becomes "de" as explained here:

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/use-de-d-instead-of-des-in-front-of-adjectives-preceding-nouns-partitive-article

 

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Il faut de délicieux lardons. -- It takes delicious bacon. / One needs delicious bacon.

There is no infinitive because what follows is a noun construction, non a verbal construction. Literally, the translation is: One needs *of* delicious bacon. It's the the same "of" that, in English you would use in "a slice of" or "a piece of". Except, in French, you use it without the "a slice" or "a piece".

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Alan, I didn't mean to say that the French de is equal to the English "of". It has the partitive meaning, similar to "of" in English, such as in "a slice of bacon", "a liter of milk", "none of that". Without a specific quantity you'd use "some" in English, but in a slightly antiquated literary English, it used to be (and sometimes still is) "of". As in, "could I have of that bacon, please?"

C. F.C1Kwiziq community member

Many thanks to Chris C1 and Alan C1 for their assistance.

C. F. asked:View original

Il faudra aussi de délicieux lardons

Why isn’t there an infinite in the above phrase ? 

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
I'll be right with you...