Present
| je | faux |
| tu | faux |
| il/elle | faut |
| nous | faillons |
| vous | faillez |
| ils/elles | faillent |
to almost do something; to fail
Most common in the sense of almost doing something, followed by an infinitive in the passé composé: il a failli tomber means 'he nearly fell'. In literary French it also means to fail in a duty (faillir à sa mission). It is a defective verb; its forms are limited in practice.
Il a failli tomber means he almost fell, he did not fall. English speakers sometimes translate it as 'to fail', but 'to fail an exam' is rater or échouer à. Don't use it in the present for the near-miss meaning.
Often confused with échouer.
| je | faux |
| tu | faux |
| il/elle | faut |
| nous | faillons |
| vous | faillez |
| ils/elles | faillent |
| je | faillais |
| tu | faillais |
| il/elle | faillait |
| nous | faillions |
| vous | failliez |
| ils/elles | faillaient |
| je | faillis |
| tu | faillis |
| il/elle | faillit |
| nous | faillîmes |
| vous | faillîtes |
| ils/elles | faillirent |
| je | faudrai |
| tu | faudras |
| il/elle | faudra |
| nous | faudrons |
| vous | faudrez |
| ils/elles | faudront |
| je | faudrais |
| tu | faudrais |
| il/elle | faudrait |
| nous | faudrions |
| vous | faudriez |
| ils/elles | faudraient |
| je | faille |
| tu | failles |
| il/elle | faille |
| nous | faillions |
| vous | failliez |
| ils/elles | faillent |
| je | faillisse |
| tu | faillisses |
| il/elle | faillît |
| nous | faillissions |
| vous | faillissiez |
| ils/elles | faillissent |
| tu | - |
| nous | - |
| vous | - |
| je | ai failli |
| tu | as failli |
| il/elle | a failli |
| nous | avons failli |
| vous | avez failli |
| ils/elles | ont failli |
| je | avais failli |
| tu | avais failli |
| il/elle | avait failli |
| nous | avions failli |
| vous | aviez failli |
| ils/elles | avaient failli |
| je | eus failli |
| tu | eus failli |
| il/elle | eut failli |
| nous | eûmes failli |
| vous | eûtes failli |
| ils/elles | eurent failli |
| je | aurai failli |
| tu | auras failli |
| il/elle | aura failli |
| nous | aurons failli |
| vous | aurez failli |
| ils/elles | auront failli |
| je | aurais failli |
| tu | aurais failli |
| il/elle | aurait failli |
| nous | aurions failli |
| vous | auriez failli |
| ils/elles | auraient failli |
| je | aie failli |
| tu | aies failli |
| il/elle | ait failli |
| nous | ayons failli |
| vous | ayez failli |
| ils/elles | aient failli |
| je | eusse failli |
| tu | eusses failli |
| il/elle | eût failli |
| nous | eussions failli |
| vous | eussiez failli |
| ils/elles | eussent failli |
| tu | aie failli |
| nous | ayons failli |
| vous | ayez failli |
| faillant |
| failli |
| faillir |
Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.
"faillir" means "to almost do something; to fail".
The present of "faillir" is: je faux, tu faux, il/elle faut, nous faillons, vous faillez, ils/elles faillent.
The passé composé of "faillir" is: je ai failli, tu as failli, il/elle a failli, nous avons failli, vous avez failli, ils/elles ont failli.
The imperative of "faillir" is: tu -, nous -, vous -.