FR: il faut me croire / il me faut croire - place du pronom

Ljubodrag Gráthas

Senior Member
Serbia Serbian (native), English, Irish (Gaeilge)
One dictionary says: Avec falloir suivi de l'inf., la place de me change le sens de la phrase (il faut m'écouter/il me faut écouter et il faut me croire/il me faut croire).



I don’t understand the examples. Can somebody translate them please? I have a feeling I'll never make any progress in French
 
  • Ljubodrag Gráthas said:
    One dictionary says: Avec falloir suivi de l'inf., la place de me change le sens de la phrase (il faut m'écouter/il me faut écouter et il faut me croire/il me faut croire).

    Il faut me croire.= It is necessary to believe me.
    Il me faut croire.= I need/ have to believe.

    The above is my understanding.:) Let's wait for the native speakers to affirmer ou infirmer.
     
    Ljubodrag Gráthas said:
    One dictionary says: Avec falloir suivi de l'inf., la place de me change le sens de la phrase (il faut m'écouter:you must obey me.Or: You must listen to me
    /il me faut écouter: I have to listen (to the teacher, for example)
    et il faut me croire: Believe me!
    /il me faut croire:I am obliged to believe (what you say)



    This is my contribution to your understanding our difficult(?) language.
    Hope it'll help...
    Domybest
     
    With "il faut", you can remember this construction:

    "il pronom faut faire quelquechose " where pronom is me, te, lui, nous, vous, or leur.
    This person (designated by pronom) has to do something (faire quelque chose).

    If there is no pronom, then the order or adviced is addressed to anybody (on in french) or to whom you're talking to (the context would help).

    So, "Il me faut écouter" translates as "I have to listen".
    whereas "Il faut m'écouter" translates as "One has to listen to me" or "You have to listen to me". It could also be "You/One should listen to me"

    That's the same thing with "croire":
    "Il faut me croire" --> You have/One has to believe me.
    "Il me faut croire" --> I have to believe.
     
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