What is an impersonal expression in French?

A construction whose subject il refers to nothing: il faut, il pleut, il est important, il y a, il paraît. The il cannot be replaced by a noun or another pronoun, and the sentence comments on a situation rather than on somebody.

When do impersonal expressions take de and when do they take que?

Use de plus an infinitive when nobody in particular is named: il est important de dormir. Use que plus a clause as soon as you specify who is involved: il est important que tu dormes. Il faut is the exception that takes a bare infinitive with no de.

Which impersonal expressions require the subjunctive?

Those expressing necessity, will, judgement, emotion, or mere possibility: il faut que, il vaut mieux que, il est important que, il est temps que, il est dommage que, il est possible que. Expressions of certainty or probability keep the indicative.

Why is it il est probable qu'il viendra but il est possible qu'il vienne?

Because French treats probable as close enough to a statement of fact to keep the indicative, while possible only raises a hypothesis and therefore takes the subjunctive. Il est peu probable que goes back to the subjunctive, since it undoes the assertion.

Can I say c'est important de instead of il est important de?

Yes, and in conversation you probably should: c'est important de réserver is what people actually say. Keep il est for writing and formal speech. When the sentence refers back to a noun already mentioned, use c'est plus à: ce livre, c'est difficile à lire.

French grammar · Intermediate

Using Impersonal Expressions in French: Il Faut, Il Est, and What Follows

Written by Camille Laurent, Lead French Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Impersonal expressions are built on an il that refers to nobody: il faut, il vaut mieux, il est important, il paraît. They comment on an action rather than describe a person, and the only real decision they force on you is what comes next — de plus an infinitive, or que plus a clause whose verb may be subjunctive or indicative.

Il est important de réserver, et il faut que tu appelles aujourd'hui.

It's important to book, and you need to call today.

What it is

In il pleut and il faut partir, the il stands for nothing at all. No person or thing is raining, and nobody in particular is required to leave. French uses this empty subject to state a fact about a situation, and the structure that follows depends on whether you are talking in general or naming the person involved.

Il est difficile de choisir. — It's hard to choose. (nobody in particular is doing the choosing)

How to spot it

Ask whether you have named the person who has to act. If not, use de plus an infinitive. If you have, use que plus a clause, and check whether that expression wants the subjunctive.

Il faut partir maintenant. — We need to leave now. (general)
Il faut que tu partes maintenant. — You need to leave now. (named person)
Il est évident qu'elle a raison. — It's obvious she's right. (indicative)
Il est possible qu'elle ait raison. — She may be right. (subjunctive)

Il faut is the only common one that takes an infinitive with no de at all: il faut partir, not il faut de partir.

Using Impersonal Expressions Quick Reference

The frequent expressions and what follows them

Expression	Meaning	What follows
il faut	it is necessary	infinitive, or que + subjunctive
il vaut mieux	it's better	infinitive, or que + subjunctive
il est important	it's important	de + infinitive, or que + subjunctive
il est possible	it's possible	de + infinitive, or que + subjunctive
il est évident	it's obvious	que + indicative
il paraît	apparently	que + indicative
il suffit de	you only have to	infinitive, or que + subjunctive
il s'agit de	it's about	a noun or an infinitive

Common Using Impersonal Expressions Examples in French

The four families of impersonal expression:

Necessity and Advice

Il faut réserver à l'avance.: You have to book in advance.
Il vaut mieux attendre demain.: It's better to wait until tomorrow.
Il est nécessaire de signer ici.: It's necessary to sign here.
Il suffit d'appuyer sur le bouton.: You just have to press the button.

This group all take the subjunctive when you switch to a que clause: il faut que tu réserves, il vaut mieux que tu attendes.

Judgement and Feeling

Il est important de bien dormir.: It's important to sleep well.
Il est dommage qu'elle ne puisse pas venir.: It's a shame she can't come.
Il est normal qu'il soit fatigué.: It's normal for him to be tired.
Il est étonnant qu'ils aient accepté.: It's surprising that they accepted.

Anything that evaluates rather than reports takes the subjunctive: important, normal, dommage, étonnant, regrettable.

Certainty and Hearsay

Il est évident qu'elle a raison.: It's obvious that she's right.
Il est clair que ça ne marche pas.: It's clear that it isn't working.
Il paraît qu'ils déménagent.: Apparently they're moving.
Il me semble que c'est trop tard.: It seems to me that it's too late.

Certainty keeps the indicative. Il semble que on its own takes the subjunctive, but il me semble que does not.

Weather, Time, and Existence

Il fait froid ce matin.: It's cold this morning.
Il pleut depuis hier.: It's been raining since yesterday.
Il est cinq heures et demie.: It's half past five.
Il reste deux places.: There are two seats left.

These have no other subject available. Il y a, il reste, il manque, and il arrive all work the same way.

How Impersonal Expressions Are Built

Five points, and the middle three are what you have to decide every time you open one of these sentences.

The Il Refers to Nothing

It is a placeholder, present only because French sentences need a subject. It never becomes elle or ils, and it cannot be replaced by ça in careful writing.

Il est interdit de fumer ici.

Smoking is forbidden here.

An empty il, always singular.

De + Infinitive for the General Case

When nobody in particular is named, the action goes into the infinitive, introduced by de. This is the shorter and more natural option whenever the advice applies to everyone.

Il est utile de connaître ses droits.

It's useful to know your rights.

No named subject → de + infinitif.

Que + Clause When You Name the Person

As soon as you specify who must act, French needs a full clause. The infinitive cannot carry a subject of its own, so il faut partir becomes il faut que tu partes.

Il vaut mieux que vous y alliez seul.

It's better if you go on your own.

Named subject → que + clause.

Evaluation Takes the Subjunctive, Certainty Does Not

If the expression judges, doubts, wants, or requires, the verb in the que clause goes into the subjunctive. If it reports something as a fact, the indicative stays.

Il est possible qu'il vienne, mais il est certain qu'il est en retard.

He may come, but he's certainly late.

Judgement → subjonctif. Fact → indicatif.

C'est Takes Over in Speech

In conversation, il est important de is regularly replaced by c'est important de. Both are correct; il est belongs to writing and formal registers, c'est to everyday speech.

C'est difficile de tout retenir.

It's hard to remember it all.

Written il est, spoken c'est.

Common Mistakes with Using Impersonal Expressions

Incorrect: Il est nécessaire que tu viens tôt. — It's necessary for you to come early.

Correct: Il est nécessaire que tu viennes tôt. — It's necessary for you to come early.

Necessity is one of the clearest subjunctive triggers in French. The action is being required rather than reported, so viens becomes viennes.

Incorrect: Il faut que je vais à la banque. — I need to go to the bank.

Correct: Il faut que j'aille à la banque. — I need to go to the bank.

Il faut que always takes the subjunctive, and aller has an irregular subjunctive stem: que j'aille, que tu ailles, que nous allions.

Incorrect: Il est facile à parler français. — It's easy to speak French.

Correct: Il est facile de parler français. — It's easy to speak French.

After an impersonal il est, the infinitive takes de. À appears only when the sentence points back at a noun already mentioned: le français, c'est facile à apprendre.

Incorrect: Il est évident qu'elle ait raison. — It's obvious that she's right.

Correct: Il est évident qu'elle a raison. — It's obvious that she's right.

Évident asserts a fact, so the indicative is required. Learners who have just met the subjunctive tend to apply it here by overcorrection.

Which Expressions Take the Subjunctive

The division is not arbitrary: it follows whether the expression asserts a fact or reacts to one.

Necessity, will, and judgement — subjunctive

If the expression says something ought to happen, or reacts to it emotionally, the que clause goes into the subjunctive. The action is being wanted or assessed, not reported.

Il faut que tu viennes.: You have to come.
Il vaut mieux qu'on parte tôt.: It's better if we leave early.
Il est temps que ça change.: It's time that changed.
Il est dommage qu'il ne soit pas là.: It's a shame he isn't here.

Il est possible que and il est peu probable que belong here too, even though possibility sounds factual: the event is not asserted.

Certainty and probability — indicative

If the expression presents the content as true or likely, the indicative stays. This includes probability, which French treats as close enough to fact.

Il est évident qu'elle a compris.: It's obvious she understood.
Il est probable qu'il viendra.: He'll probably come.
Il paraît que c'est fermé le lundi.: Apparently it's closed on Mondays.
Il me semble que tu as raison.: It seems to me you're right.

Il est probable que takes the indicative but il est possible que takes the subjunctive. The line falls between likely and merely conceivable.

Negatives and questions flip the choice

Putting a certainty expression into the negative or into a question removes the assertion, so the subjunctive returns.

Il n'est pas évident qu'il vienne.: It isn't clear that he'll come.
Est-il certain qu'elle soit d'accord ?: Is it certain that she agrees?
Il n'est pas sûr que ce soit possible.: It isn't certain that it's possible.

The same reversal happens with penser and croire: je pense qu'il vient, but je ne pense pas qu'il vienne.

Using Impersonal Expressions FAQs

What is an impersonal expression in French?: A construction whose subject il refers to nothing: il faut, il pleut, il est important, il y a, il paraît. The il cannot be replaced by a noun or another pronoun, and the sentence comments on a situation rather than on somebody.
When do impersonal expressions take de and when do they take que?: Use de plus an infinitive when nobody in particular is named: il est important de dormir. Use que plus a clause as soon as you specify who is involved: il est important que tu dormes. Il faut is the exception that takes a bare infinitive with no de.
Which impersonal expressions require the subjunctive?: Those expressing necessity, will, judgement, emotion, or mere possibility: il faut que, il vaut mieux que, il est important que, il est temps que, il est dommage que, il est possible que. Expressions of certainty or probability keep the indicative.
Why is it il est probable qu'il viendra but il est possible qu'il vienne?: Because French treats probable as close enough to a statement of fact to keep the indicative, while possible only raises a hypothesis and therefore takes the subjunctive. Il est peu probable que goes back to the subjunctive, since it undoes the assertion.
Can I say c'est important de instead of il est important de?: Yes, and in conversation you probably should: c'est important de réserver is what people actually say. Keep il est for writing and formal speech. When the sentence refers back to a noun already mentioned, use c'est plus à: ce livre, c'est difficile à lire.