French Phrase
Faut que j'y aille maintenant.
Meaning
A colloquial way to say “I have to go now.” The sentence uses the impersonal construction "Il faut que" followed by the subjunctive of "aller" and the pronoun "y" to refer to a place that has already been mentioned.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal spoken French when you need to excuse yourself quickly, such as leaving a conversation, a meeting, or a social gathering. It sounds natural in everyday dialogue but is too casual for formal writing.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Fautquej'yaillemaintenant
Il faut que (impersonal)
The expression "Il faut que" is impersonal; the subject is omitted and the verb that follows must be in the subjunctive mood.
Subjunctive of aller
"aille" is the present subjunctive form of "aller" used after "il faut que".
Pronoun y
"y" replaces a previously mentioned place or direction, equivalent to "there" or "to it" in English.
Adverb maintenant
"maintenant" means "now" and is placed at the end of the clause for emphasis.
🗨In Conversation
Faut que j'y aille maintenant.
I have to go now.
D'accord, à plus tard !
Alright, see you later!
✕Common Mistakes
Faut que j'y aller maintenant.
After "il faut que" the verb must be in the subjunctive, not the infinitive.
Faut que j'y vais maintenant.
"vais" is indicative; the correct subjunctive form is "aille".
Il faut que j'y aille maintenant.
In casual speech the subject "Il" is usually dropped; keeping it sounds overly formal for this context.
↔Alternatives
Je dois partir maintenant.
I must leave now.
Il faut que je parte maintenant.
It is necessary that I leave now.
Je dois y aller maintenant.
I have to go there now.
Cultural Tip
The shortened "Faut que" (dropping "Il") is typical of spoken French and is common among all age groups. It should be avoided in formal writing or presentations. In Quebec French the same structure is used, but you may also hear "Faut que j'y aille" without the final "maintenant" when the timing is obvious. Remember that the subjunctive is mandatory after "il faut que"; using the indicative (e.g., "vais") sounds ungrammatical.