🏃💨

How to Say ‘I really have to go’ in French

Il faut vraiment que j'y aille

eel foh vray-mon kuh zhem ee eye

[eel foh vray-mon kuh zhem ee eye]

💬 Usage Tip: After il faut que "it's necessary that", the verb changes shape: je vais becomes j'aille. The little y "there" is required, since je vais alone sounds unfinished.

Phrase Breakdown

Il faut vraiment

eel foh vray-mon

I really have to

'Il faut' means 'it's necessary'. In speech, 'il' often sounds like 'i'.

Example

Il faut vraiment partir.

We really have to leave.

Words in this phrase

[eel]

Impersonal subject used for weather expressions.

Example

Aujourd'hui, il fait beau.

Today, the weather is nice.

faut

[foh]

is necessary / must

Impersonal verb used to express necessity or obligation.

Example

Il faut boire plus d'eau en été.

You must drink more water in summer.

vraiment

[vray-mon]

really / truly

Adverb used to emphasize an opinion; more expressive than “très” in some contexts.

Example

Ce studio a un style Vraiment original.

This studio has a really original style.

que j'y aille

kuh zhem ee eye

that I go

'Aille' is the subjunctive of 'aller', pronounced 'eye'. 'J'y aille' sounds like 'zhee-eye'.

Example

Il faut que j'y aille.

I have to go.

Words in this phrase

que

[kuh]

that

Introduces the clause that follows after expressing a thought or opinion.

Example

Dans Je pense que, que relie l'opinion à l'idée suivante.

In "Je pense que," "que" links the opinion to the next idea.

[zhem]

I (contracted form of « je »)

« Je » becomes « J’ » before a vowel: « J’aime » = “I like/I love”. Very frequent for opinions about anime.

Example

J' aime ce studio d’animation.

I like this animation studio.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

aille

[eye]

Subjunctive of 'aller' (to go) for 'je'.

Example

Il faut que j'aille au travail.

I have to go to work.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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