Breakdown of Il est essentiel que tu fasses attention à l'issue.
être
to be
tu
you (informal singular)
à
at / to / in (general locations) / about (what one thinks about / reacts to)
il
it (impersonal subject)
faire attention
to pay attention, to be careful
que
that (introducing a clause)
essentiel
essential
l'issue
the exit (f)
Questions & Answers about Il est essentiel que tu fasses attention à l'issue.
Why is the subjunctive used in this sentence?
The phrase Il est essentiel que (It is essential that) expresses a strong necessity or judgment. In French, expressions of necessity, emotion, doubt, or desire almost always trigger the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows them.
How is the subjunctive form fasses created?
Fasses is the subjunctive form of faire (to do/make) for tu. Faire is highly irregular in the subjunctive because it uses a completely new stem: fass-. Once you have that irregular stem, you just add the regular subjunctive ending for tu, which is -es.
Why does the French sentence use a form of faire instead of a word for "pay"?
Why is à used before l'issue?
The full expression is faire attention à (to pay attention to something or someone). Whenever you state exactly what you are paying attention to, you must link it with the preposition à.
I thought "exit" was la sortie. What is the difference with l'issue?
They are similar but not always perfectly interchangeable. La sortie is the standard, everyday word for a physical exit door. Une issue is more specifically a "way out" or an emergency exit (like in the phrase une issue de secours). It is also frequently used to mean the "outcome" or "resolution" of a complicated situation.
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