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French Phrase of the Day

il ne fallait pas



Definitions

French > English
il ne fallait pas
     1. Phrase. you shouldn't have (said on receiving a gift)
Analysis
il
     1. pron. he (third-person singular masculine subject pronoun for human subject)
           Il est parti. - He left.
     2. pron. it (third-person singular subject pronoun for grammatically masculine objects)
           Je cherche mon livre. Où est-il ? - I'm looking for my book. Where is it?
     3. pron. (impersonal pronoun) Impersonal subject; it
ne
     1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes)
     2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below)
     3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so-
     4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative
           Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think.
fallait
     1. v. third-person singular imperfect indicative of falloir
     falloir
          1. v. (impersonal) to need, have to, to be necessary (that)
                Il faut que j'y aille - I need to go.
                Faut que j'y aille. - Got to go.
                Il ne faut pas que tu dises ça. - You don’t have to say that.
                Il a tout ce qu'il te faut. - He has everything that you need.
pas
     1. n-m. step, pace, footstep
     2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass
           Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover
     3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut)
     4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc.



Review previous phrases

s'il vous plaîtde rienface àà bas
en massen'importe quoifin de semainepas de quoi
gagner sa viede quoipoint d'exclamationtout à fait
tôt ou tardil ne fallait pastempête de sablese mettre





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