Learn French: Est-ce que la méthode est nouvelle ? Alors il faut l'analyser ! - Is the method new? Then we must analyze it!

Est-ce que la méthode est nouvelle ? Alors il faut l'analyser !

Is the method new? Then we must analyze it!

Breakdown of Est-ce que la méthode est nouvelle ? Alors il faut l'analyser !

être

to be

est-ce que

is it that / do / does (question marker)

nouveau

new

it (impersonal subject)

Questions & Answers about Est-ce que la méthode est nouvelle ? Alors il faut l'analyser !

Why is alors used here instead of donc?

While both can mean "so" or "then", alors is often used to mean "in that case" as a reaction to a situation. Because we are reacting to the method being new, alors fits perfectly here! Donc usually implies a stricter, more mathematical logical conclusion ("therefore").

Does il faut mean "he must"?

Not in this case! Il faut is a set phrase meaning "it is necessary to" or "we/one must". The il here is impersonal, like the "it" in "it is raining" (il pleut), so it doesn't refer to a specific person.

What does the l' in l'analyser do?

It is a direct object pronoun meaning "it". It replaces la méthode to avoid repeating the word. Usually it would be la, but because the verb analyser starts with a vowel, la drops its "a" and attaches directly to the verb as l'.

Why is it nouvelle and not nouveau?

The adjective nouveau (new) has to agree with the noun it describes. Since la méthode is a feminine noun, we must use the feminine form of the adjective, which is nouvelle.