Breakdown of Il faut parler pour pratiquer une langue.
pour
for
parler
to speak
il
it (impersonal subject)
falloir
to be necessary / must (impersonal)
pratiquer
to practice
la langue
the language
Questions & Answers about Il faut parler pour pratiquer une langue.
Why does the French sentence use pour before pratiquer?
In English, we often use 'to' plus a verb to show our purpose. In French, to express 'in order to', you must use pour followed by the infinitive (the unconjugated dictionary form of the verb). Here, pour pratiquer means 'in order to practice'.
Where is the word for 'you' in Il faut?
There isn't one! Il faut is a fixed expression that literally means 'it is necessary'. French speakers use it to state a general rule, like 'you have to' or 'one must', without pointing to a specific person.
Why are both parler and pratiquer in their unconjugated forms?
Both verbs follow grammar rules that require the infinitive (the basic form ending in -er). parler is in the infinitive because it directly follows the conjugated expression il faut. pratiquer is in the infinitive because it directly follows the preposition pour.
I have seen langue used for the body part 'tongue'. Does it also mean 'language'?
Yes, it means both! Just like the English phrase 'mother tongue', the French word langue is used for both the physical tongue in your mouth and a spoken language.
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