Learn Hardcore French: D’ailleurs, je dois retirer de l’argent pour le loyer. - Besides, I have to withdraw money for the rent.

D’ailleurs is a link word meaning “besides,” “what’s more,” or “incidentally.” It adds related information or a justification.
Au fait is “by the way” and is often used to change topic.
En fait means “actually/in fact” and corrects or clarifies something.
À propos (“speaking of”) introduces something triggered by the current topic.

Why is there a comma after D’ailleurs?

Because D’ailleurs is a sentence-initial discourse connector. In French it’s standard to set such adverbials off with a comma when they introduce the clause.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Whole sentence (one natural way): [dajœʁ ʒə dwa ʁətiʁe də laʁʒɑ̃ puʁ lə lwaje]
Key words:
- D’ailleurs: [dajœʁ] (like “dye-yeur”)
- je dois: [ʒə dwa] (the final -s in dois is silent)
- retirer: [ʁə-ti-ʁe]
- de l’argent: [də laʁʒɑ̃] (the g in argent is “zh”; final -t is silent; nasal -an)
- loyer: [lwaje] (starts with an [lw] cluster)

What nuance does je dois have compared to il faut que je?

Je dois + infinitive expresses personal obligation or responsibility.
Il faut que je + subjunctive is an impersonal necessity; it can feel slightly less personal or more general.
Both are correct here. Example alternatives: Je vais devoir retirer… (I’m going to have to withdraw…), Il faut que je retire…

How is devoir conjugated here?

Present tense:

je dois, tu dois, il/elle/on doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils/elles doivent Past participle: dû (with a circumflex). Example: J’ai dû retirer… (I had to withdraw…)

Why use retirer with money? Could I say prendre or sortir?

Retirer de l’argent is the idiomatic way to say “withdraw money” (from a bank/ATM).
Prendre de l’argent = take money (from a wallet, drawer, etc.), not necessarily from a bank.
Sortir de l’argent often means “take out money” physically (from your pocket), not “withdraw from the bank.”
Noun: faire un retrait (make a withdrawal).

Why is it de l’argent and not du argent?

Because argent starts with a vowel. The partitive article before a vowel is de l’, not du. So:

de + le = du (before a consonant)
de + l’ = de l’ (before a vowel sound) → de l’argent

Could I say retirer l’argent instead of retirer de l’argent?

Retirer de l’argent = withdraw some (unspecified) amount of money.
Retirer l’argent = withdraw the money (a specific, previously identified sum). You’d only use it if “the money” is clearly defined in context.

What happens under negation with the partitive?

The partitive becomes bare de after negation:

Je ne dois pas retirer d’argent pour le loyer.
Je n’ai pas retiré d’argent.

Is argent countable? Why no plural?

Argent (money) is an uncountable masculine noun in French, so you don’t use a plural like “des argents” in this sense. You use quantifiers: beaucoup d’argent, assez d’argent, pas d’argent, etc.

Why pour le loyer and not pour payer le loyer?

Both are correct.

pour le loyer is a concise, natural ellipsis meaning “for the rent (purpose).”
pour payer le loyer makes the purpose explicit. It can be clearer in some contexts but isn’t required.

Should it be le loyer or mon loyer?

Both are fine:

le loyer can refer generically to “the rent” (French uses definite articles broadly).
mon loyer specifies it’s your rent. Choose based on context and emphasis.

How do I replace de l’argent with a pronoun?

Use en (it replaces “de + noun” for things):

Je dois en retirer pour le loyer.
J’en ai retiré 200 €. Pronoun order: subject + (ne) + pronoun(s) + verb + (pas) + infinitive if there is one. Example with negation: Je ne dois pas en retirer.

Can I replace pour le loyer with a pronoun like y?

Not with y. Y typically replaces “à + thing” or a place. For “pour + thing,” use something like pour ça if the referent is clear:

Je dois retirer de l’argent pour ça. For people, pour + stressed pronoun: pour lui/eux.

How do I mention the place I’m withdrawing from?

Common options:

au distributeur (de billets) or au DAB (ATM)
à la banque (at the bank) Example: Je dois retirer de l’argent au distributeur.

Any common colloquial words for “money” I should know?

Yes, informal synonyms include du fric, de la thune, du pognon, and also du cash. They’re casual; stick with de l’argent in neutral contexts.