French Faillir + Infinitive – How to Say Almost in French
The French verb faillir, when followed by an infinitive, means to almost do something or to nearly do something.
It’s a useful construction when you want to describe something that was very close to happening but didn’t quite happen.
For example:
- J’ai failli tomber. — I almost fell.
- Elle a failli oublier ses clés. — She almost forgot her keys.
- Nous avons failli rater le train. — We almost missed the train.
The good news is that you don’t need to learn a complete conjugation of faillir to start using this construction. In the passé composé, you simply conjugate avoir in the present tense, add failli, and then use an infinitive.
In this lesson, I’ll show you how to form and use faillir + infinitive, with examples you can start using right away.
How to Form Faillir + Infinitive
When using faillir in the passé composé, follow this formula:
Subject + present tense of AVOIR + FAILLI + infinitive
For example:
Nous avons failli tomber.
We almost fell.
The word failli is the past participle of faillir. It does not change. You simply conjugate the verb avoir according to the subject.
Present Tense of AVOIR + FAILLI
| Subject | Construction |
|---|---|
| Je | j’ai failli |
| Tu | tu as failli |
| Il / Elle / On | il / elle / on a failli |
| Nous | nous avons failli |
| Vous | vous avez failli |
| Ils / Elles | ils / elles ont failli |
After failli, add any infinitive:
- J’ai failli tomber. — I almost fell.
- Tu as failli oublier. — You almost forgot.
- Elle a failli pleurer. — She almost cried.
- Nous avons failli partir. — We almost left.
- Vous avez failli gagner. — You almost won.
- Ils ont failli avoir un accident. — They almost had an accident.
More Examples of Faillir + Infinitive
Here are some common ways to use faillir + infinitive in everyday French.
Almost Having an Accident or Making a Mistake
- J’ai failli avoir un accident. — I almost had an accident.
- Tu as failli tomber dans les escaliers. — You almost fell down the stairs.
- Elle a failli se tromper de chemin. — She almost took the wrong road.
- Nous avons failli nous perdre. — We almost got lost.
Almost Forgetting or Losing Something
- J’ai failli oublier mon rendez-vous. — I almost forgot my appointment.
- Il a failli perdre son téléphone. — He almost lost his phone.
- Tu as failli laisser tes clés à la maison. — You almost left your keys at home.
- Elle a failli oublier son portefeuille. — She almost forgot her wallet.
Almost Doing or Saying Something
- J’ai failli lui dire la vérité. — I almost told him/her the truth.
- Elle a failli rire pendant la réunion. — She almost laughed during the meeting.
- Nous avons failli annuler nos vacances. — We almost canceled our vacation.
- Vous avez failli tout gâcher. — You almost ruined everything.
Almost Missing Something
- J’ai failli rater le train. — I almost missed the train.
- Ils ont failli manquer leur avion. — They almost missed their plane.
- Nous avons failli arriver en retard. — We almost arrived late.
Does Faillir Mean “To Fail”?
Be careful! Although faillir looks similar to the English word “fail,” the construction faillir + infinitive means to almost or nearly do something.
It does not mean that you failed to do something.
Compare:
- J’ai failli oublier. — I almost forgot.
- Je n’ai pas réussi à me souvenir. — I wasn’t able to remember.
- J’ai échoué à l’examen. — I failed the exam.
If you want to say that you failed to do something, you can use ne pas réussir à + infinitive.
For example:
- Je n’ai pas réussi à ouvrir la porte. — I failed to open the door.
Can You Use Faillir in Other Tenses?
Yes! Although the passé composé is very common, faillir + infinitive can also be used in other past tenses.
For example:
- J’ai failli tomber. — I almost fell.
- J’avais failli tomber. — I had almost fallen.
- Il faillit tomber. — He almost fell. (Passé simple, more common in written French.)
For now, concentrate on the passé composé construction:
avoir in the present tense + failli + infinitive
This is the form you’ll find especially useful in everyday conversation.
If you’d like to learn more about the different French tenses and when to use them, read my lesson What’s That French Tense?.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does faillir mean in French?
When followed by an infinitive, faillir means to almost or nearly do something. For example, J’ai failli tomber means “I almost fell.”
How do you conjugate faillir in the passé composé?
Use the present tense of avoir followed by the past participle failli:
- J’ai failli
- Tu as failli
- Il / Elle a failli
- Nous avons failli
- Vous avez failli
- Ils / Elles ont failli
Then add an infinitive.
Do you need to conjugate the verb after failli?
No. The verb following failli stays in the infinitive.
For example: J’ai failli oublier, not J’ai failli oublié.
Is faillir commonly used in spoken French?
Yes! The construction avoir failli + infinitive is commonly used to say that something almost happened.
Does faillir mean to fail?
Not when it is followed by an infinitive. Avoir failli faire quelque chose means to have almost done something. To say that you failed to do something, use ne pas réussir à + infinitive.
