| Principales traductions |
| avoir failli faire [qch]⇒ vtr | (avoir manqué de faire) | almost did [sth], nearly did [sth] v expr |
| | (slightly formal) | all but did [sth] v expr |
| | J'ai failli avoir un accident en venant ce matin au bureau. |
| | Quand sa fille lui a annoncé son déménagement, Gérard a failli tomber de sa chaise. |
| | I almost had an accident on my way to work this morning. // When his daughter told him she was moving out, Gerry nearly fell out of his chair. |
| faillir à [qch] vtr ind | littéraire (ne pas tenir : une promesse, un engagement) | fail to keep [sth], not hold to [sth] v expr |
| | | break⇒ vtr |
| | Le jeune homme a failli à sa promesse de mariage. |
| | The young man failed to keep his promise of marriage. |
| faillir à [qch] vtr ind | littéraire (manquer à : un devoir) | fail in [sth] vi + prep |
| | Ce soldat a failli à son devoir. |
| | The soldier failed in his duty. |
| Principales traductions |
| falloir [qch/qqn] v impers | (indique une nécessité) | be needed v aux + v past p |
| | (person as subject) | need⇒ vtr |
| | Il faut un piquet tous les 100 mètres. Il faut une personne expérimentée pour ce poste. |
| | A stake is needed every 100 metres. // An experienced person is needed for this post. |
| | We need an experienced person for this post. |
| falloir [qch] à [qqn] v impers | (indique une nécessité) (person as subject) | need⇒ vtr |
| | (informal: person as subject) | could do with [sth] v expr |
| | Pour le cours de biologie, il me faut une blouse. Tu peux m'en acheter une ? |
| | Il me faudrait un mètre pour prendre des mesures. |
| | I need a lab coat for biology class; can you buy me one? |
| | I could do with a tape measure to take measurements. |
| falloir faire [qch] v impers | (indique une nécessité) (person as subject) | have to do [sth], need to do [sth], must do [sth] v expr |
| | (passive) | have to be + [past participle], need to be + [past participle], must be + [past participle] v expr |
| | (formal, impersonal construction) | be necessary to do [sth] v expr |
| | Il faut trier ses déchets. |
| | Il faut arriver une heure avant le départ du ferry. |
| | We have to arrive one hour before the ferry leaves. |
| | Household waste must be sorted for recycling. |
| falloir que [qch/qqn] fasse [qch] v impers | (indique une nécessité) (person as subject) | have to do [sth], need to do [sth] v expr |
| | (person as subject) | must do [sth] v expr |
| | (impersonal construction) | be necessary for [sb] to do [sth] v expr |
| | (formal, impersonal construction) | be necessary that [sb] do [sth] v expr |
| | Il faudrait que tu arrives avant 18 heures. |
| | You would have to arrive before 6 pm. |
| falloir faire [qch] v impers | (indique le caractère inévitable) (person as subject) | have to do [sth] v expr |
| | (person as subject) | must do [sth] v expr |
| | Il faut se dire au revoir, le train va partir. |
| | We have to say goodbye; the train is about to leave. |
| falloir que [qch/qqn] fasse [qch] v impers | (indique le caractère inévitable) | be bound to do [sth] v expr |
| | | have to do [sth] v expr |
| | Mon fils s'est fait mal en faisant l'idiot sur son skate : il fallait bien que ça arrive ! |
| | My son hurt himself messing around on his skateboard; that was bound to happen. |
| falloir v impers | (indique l'hypothèse) | have to vi + prep |
| | | must⇒ v aux |
| | Il aurait fallu nous ayons plus de temps pour pouvoir finir. Il aurait fallu qu'elle fût naïve pour se conduire ainsi. |
| | She has to be stupid to act the way she does. |
| falloir v impers | (indique l'ironie) | ought to vi + prep |
| | | should⇒ v aux |
| | Il fallait l'entendre raconter ses exploits de chasseur ! |
| | You should have heard him going on about his hunting exploits! |
| falloir v impers | (exprime l'indignation) | have to vi + prep |
| | | must⇒ v aux |
| | Faut-il qu'il soit bête pour ne pas avoir réagi ! |
| | He didn't react! He must be stupid. |
| falloir v impers | (exprime l'admiration) | should⇒ v aux |
| | Il faut voir comme elle danse ! |
| | You should see her dance! |