例句來源：Advanced French Grammar (McGraw-Hill)
文法參考：Advanced French Grammar (Cambridge)抽選練習：Place the pronoun(s) given in the following incomplete sentences. You may have to change th past participle in some cases.
- Il faut dire. (le, me)
(= You have to say.)
正確答案：Il faut me le dire.
錯誤示範：Il me faut le dire.
分析要點：
- object of the verb 'falloir'
- nature of verb: transitive and intransitive
- word order of multiple pronouns in a sentence with a semi-auxiliary verb
概念分析：
- identify the pattern: falloir + infinitive.
Il faut + dire.
An infinitive can be used to replace a subjunctive after falloir. When it happens, the former subject has to be changed into the corresponding indirect object pronoun. The pronoun must precede falloir, instead of the infinitive.
e.g., Il faut que je finisse ce travail. (= It is necessary for me to finish this work.)
Il me faut finir ce travail. (pronoun + falloir + infinitive)
It is noteworthy that there is only a single pronoun in the above example.
Nonetheless, things are more complicated in this example as two pronouns are used.
- identify the nature of the infinitive (transitive/intransitive): dire (transitive)
transitive verb: has a direct object
intransitive verb: does not require a direct object
Therefore, le and me in this case are direct object pronouns.
- In sentences with semi-auxiliary verb, the direct object pronouns will precede the verb which they modify. The verb they modify usually is the infinitive. Hence, the word order would be as followed:
semi-auxiliary verb + direct object pronoun + infinitive
Among the pronouns, le follows me. Applying this rule for this example, it would be like this:
= faut + me + le + dire
= Il faut me le dire.
In short, the position of pronouns depends upon its number and the number of verbs present in the sentence. Next, we will need to see if the structure is a compound tense or has a semi-auxiliary verb.
Tips on word order:
- single pronoun, falloir + infinitive = pronoun + falloir + infinitive
- double pronouns, falloir + infinitive = falloir + pronouns + infinitive
- *me > le: falloir + me + le + infinitive
