"It is getting late, I have to go."

Translation: Il se fait tard, je dois y aller.

[maverickpl]

What is the purpose of "y" in this sentence?

[Sitesurf]

In French, you can't say "go" without giving at least a hint of "where".

"Y"stands for "là" or "là-bas", either because the place was mentioned before or just to mean you are getting somewhere.

[jjoslyn3]

Does it work that way for "to go" only? Or do other verbs have the same rule?

[BroderickTurner]

I used 'quitter' as the verb to leave. Could this be accepted?

[Doubleschnell]

I don't understand the use of se here - why is this reflexive?

[Sitesurf]

That is a colloquial expression where the reflexive has the role of a near-continuous meaning:

il se fait tard = it is becoming late (it is being late)

[petic]

Although this expression has not been introduced yet, I gave the translation "je dois m'en aller" instead of "je dois y aller" and it was accepted.
Thinking about it, my version is more like "I have to leave", but anyway.

[deactivated user]

why is it "il est tard" which I thought meant "it IS late" when they ask for a translation of "it is getting late" Thanks!