"Il faut de la viande."
Translation:Meat is needed.
35 Comments
If 'we need meat' is a suggested translation, then 'one needs meat' should definitely be accepted. Reported.
Especially since "one" is the top translation in the drop-down glossary. Further, there should be a translation that avoids the passive voice, frowned upon in English, whenever possible.
393
I don't understand why "Il" is used here and therefore why "he needs meat" is rejected as a translation..can someone help explain please?
- 986
il faut = it is necessary/needed (no "he" involved ) like
il fait chaud (it's hot out/the weather is warm)(no "he " involved here either.
"he needs meat " = il a besoin de viande"
Kwiziq covers Il faut pretty well.
So whenever we see "il faut", it means "it is needed", otherwise it means "he". Is that right?
- 738
Another use of the pronoun "il" in the impersonal form: il pleut : it rains, ect …(About the weather)
Does the pronoun "il" play the same role as "it" does in English? For example, "It is difficult to learn" is pretty much the same as "To learn is difficult". Anybody can help? Merci!
- 738
Yes, "il" can play the same role as "it" in English, an impersonal pronom such as in example you quoted: "il est difficile d'apprendre" "it is difficult to learn".
'Meat is lacking' was not accepted. Granted, it sounds odd in English, but it is correct, I think. reported
It sure would be nice to have some definitive input for this discussion!
"Meat is needed" may be accurate, but it sure sounds clumsy and imprecise in English. Can a native speaker please help make sense of the intent of this phrase in French?
Merci.
- 489
Native English speaker here and I am also struggling to make sense of the English in parts of this section! I find it is best to try to "see" the meaning of the sentences in French rather than do a word for word English/French translation. Meat is needed/necessary ... when making a lamb casserole/ beef burger / pork stir fry, etc. ... Hope that helps.
-- Il faut... clearly means "he" needs meat. "On" or "Nous" perhaps for we but Il??
Il faut de la viande = meat is needed... but how? "Il" is there so I assume its "he needs meat", so Im very confused.
I'm sorry, since when does 'il' mean we? Meat is needed makes much more sense, but when I typed 'meat is needed' into the text box, it came up as incorrect and told me that 'we need meat' is the correct translation. Can anyone explain this?
- 284
"It needs meat " should be accepted. It could be that we are discussing a meal/ dish.
- 738
"He needs meat" = "Il a besoin de viande" or " Paul a besoin de viande". "He" is a personal pronoun. I think that if you had written "we need meat" your answer would have been accepted, because "it is necessary" or "il faut" is an impersonal mode wich addresses to everybody. In this case the use of"we" can be a way to express an impersonal form :)
So we would translate "Il faut cultiver nôtre jardin" as "Our garden needs cultivation?"
- 738
That'is a good context for an example :)
"Our garden needs to be cultived" (notre jardin a besoin d'être cultivé), as a result of what, "il faut cultiver notre jardin" or "nous devons cultiver notre jardin"( we have to cultivate our garden).
- 489
This might be useful: https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/how-to-express-necessity-or-obligation-with-the-expression-il-faut
Does not 'La viande" indicate "that specific meat"? So why would it not be "the meat is needed"?
- 22
The Duolingo Tips also seems to provide for the use of "one"; however, is that restricted to use with the translation "must" as in the Duo Tips?
