The speaker steps back
Reports, expert assessments, formal emails and speeches often have an impersonal il as their subject. It refers to nothing; it just fills the slot, like English it in it appears that. As a result, a recommendation sounds like an objective standard and an observation like a finding, not a personal opinion.
Same statement, two registers
Neutral
On doit vérifier les chiffres.
We need to check the figures.
En fait, le devis était faux.
Actually, the quote was wrong.
C'est important de former les équipes.
It's important to train the teams.
Formal
Il convient de vérifier les chiffres.
The figures should be checked.
Il s'avère que le devis était erroné.
It turns out that the quote was incorrect.
Il importe de former les équipes.
It is essential to train the teams.
The key expressions
With each expression, what matters is what follows: an infinitive, a noun or a que-clause, and if que, which mood. Recommendations and possibilities take the subjunctive, findings take the indicative.
Meaning and what follows
| Expression | Meaning | Followed by |
|---|---|---|
| il convient de / que | it is advisable, it is appropriate | infinitive / subjunctive |
| il importe de / que | it is essential | infinitive / subjunctive |
| il se peut que | it may be that | subjunctive |
| il s'avère que | it turns out that | indicative |
| il ressort de … que | it emerges from … that | indicative |
| il est à noter que | it should be noted that | indicative |
| il va de soi que | it goes without saying that | indicative |
| il s'agit de | it is about, it is a matter of | noun / infinitive |
In reports and emails
Il convient que chaque service désigne un référent.
Each department should appoint a contact person.
Il ressort de l'enquête que les clients sont satisfaits.
The survey shows that customers are satisfied.
Il se peut que la livraison soit retardée.
The delivery may be delayed.
Il va de soi que vos données restent confidentielles.
It goes without saying that your data will remain confidential.
Il ne s'agit pas de chercher un coupable, mais de comprendre.
The point isn't to find someone to blame, but to understand.
When it gets too much
One or two of these expressions give a text weight. String them together and it sounds like bureaucracy. In conversation they come across as stiff: there you say il faut, en fait or c'est important de.
Il convient de noter qu'il importe de vérifier s'il s'avère nécessaire de modifier le contrat.
It should be noted that it is essential to check whether it proves necessary to amend the contract.
Overloaded.
Il convient de vérifier si le contrat doit être modifié.
It should be checked whether the contract needs amending.
One expression is enough.
