Il lui faut une voiture

D. H.C1Kwiziq community member

Il lui faut une voiture

How in the world is this translated "She needs a car" when "Il lui faut" is "HE needs"?!

Asked 2 months ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

DH, 

" Il faut " is an impersonal verbal expression using the impersonal pronoun ' il ', which has no role in determining the gender of ' lui '.  The use of indirect object pronouns to 'personalise' the impersonal expression is covered in the lesson you linked. 

"Lui" as an indirect object pronoun translates as ' him ' or ' her ' in English.  The translation is correct - as the ' writer ' knows they were referring to a female needing a car.

 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/impersonal-verbs/

 https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/glossary/3

 

 

 https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/view/710

 

D. H. asked:

Il lui faut une voiture

How in the world is this translated "She needs a car" when "Il lui faut" is "HE needs"?!

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...