had to
Il fallait mieux réviser le Manuel de la Rébellion.
It would have been better to revise the Rebellion Manual.
— Une bataille après l'autre (2025)
Action was needed.
Et il fallait qu'elle les connaisse par cœur quand le moment viendrait.
And she had to know them by heart when the time came.
— Assurance sur la mort (1944)
I had to come.
Il fallait qu'ils apprennent à travailler en équipe, comme une seule entité.
They had to learn to work as a team, as a single entity.
— Insaisissables 2 (2016)
Il fallait bien que quelqu'un le fasse.
Someone had to do it.
You had to know that.
Il fallait dire quelque chose.
Something had to be said.
— Harry Potter à l'école des sorciers (2001)
I had to go.
It had to be done.
That's what had to be done.
De temps en temps, il fallait dire à Sandy que je l'aimais.
From time to time, I had to tell Sandy that I loved her.
— Les Affranchis (1990)
Il fallait me prévenir avant d'ouvrir votre gueule.
You should have warned me before opening your mouth.
— Dans ses yeux (2009)
Il fallait prendre une décision.
A decision had to be made.
Mais il fallait les éloigner de la route.
But they had to be kept away from the road.
— Rashōmon (1950)
Il fallait bien qu'elle élève ses filles.
She had to raise her daughters, after all.
— La Cité de Dieu (2002)
Il fallait d'abord régler son assurance accident.
He first had to sort out his accident insurance.
— Assurance sur la mort (1944)
Il fallait se battre pour les contrats.
We had to fight for contracts.
— Gangs of Wasseypur : 1ère partie (2012)
It should have been said earlier.
You had to be there.
Mary ne semblait pas comprendre pourquoi il fallait qu'elle fasse ça.
Mary didn’t seem to understand why she had to do that.
Il fallait attraper Ji-goo et San-o il y a trois ans.
Ji-goo and San-o should have been caught three years ago.
— Decision to Leave (2022)
Il fallait chercher le numéro depuis le début.
The number should have been looked for from the start.
— Carnets de voyage (2004)
Si tu voulais enfermer Shiki, il fallait la mettre dans une boîte de béton.
If you wanted to trap Shiki, you should have put her in a concrete box.
— The Garden of Sinners, film 5 : Spirale contradictoire (2008)
I had to say it.
Il fallait le conduire à l'accueil.
He had to be taken to reception.
— Quand passent les cigognes (1957)
Il fallait les ramener sur Terre, mais ils avaient passé le point de non-retour.
They had to be brought back down to Earth, but they had passed the point of no return.
— Chute libre (1993)
Ensuite, il fallait suivre l'horaire pas à pas.
Then we had to follow the schedule step by step.
— Assurance sur la mort (1944)
Tôt ou tard, il fallait qu'on rentre.
Sooner or later, we had to go back.
Il fallait bien que ça arrive.
It had to happen.
Il fallait que je fasse quelque chose.
I had to do something.
Il fallait donc à tout prix et au plus tôt sauver la jeune femme.
It was therefore essential to save the young woman at all costs and as soon as possible.
— La grande bellezza (2013)
Même si tu l'avais tuée, il fallait nier !
Even if you had killed her, you had to deny it!
— Mother (2009)
I had to get out.
Il fallait que quelqu'un donne le tempo de cette section.
Someone had to set the tempo for this section.
— Tár (2022)
I had to go.
Il fallait demander à Lajoie, au régisseur.
We should have asked Lajoie, the stage manager.
— La Nuit américaine (1973)
J'ai pensé qu'il fallait faire des tests.
I thought we needed to run some tests.
— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)
Quand il fallait agir, j'avais toujours une bonne excuse.
Whenever it was time to act, I always had a good excuse.
— Le vent se lève (2006)
Il fallait se couper un doigt et prêter serment ?
Did you have to cut off a finger and take an oath?
I had to come back.
You were supposed to bring it to me.
— Harry Potter et la Chambre des secrets (2002)
Red Apple était en sachet et il fallait se les rouler.
Red Apple came in a bag and you had to roll them yourself.
— Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)
Il fallait que je vous voie, les mecs, avant que je parte.
I had to see you guys before I left.
Il fallait que j'aille le plus loin possible.
I had to go as far as possible.
Mais ils allaient s'en prendre à vous, il fallait les payer.
But they were going to come after you, so you had to pay them off.
— Drive (2011)
It was to be expected.
Il fallait que je parte de ces pays.
I had to leave these countries.
Cette fille est folle, il fallait la tuer.
This girl is crazy, she should have been killed.
— Tigre & Dragon (2000)
Il fallait appeler les mœurs, pas la criminelle.
You should have called Vice, not Homicide.
— Enquête sur un citoyen au-dessus de tout soupçon (1970)
Il fallait faire quelque chose.
Something had to be done.
De toute façon, il fallait que tu saches que ta mère était une idiote.
Anyway, you needed to know that your mother was an idiot.
— La Femme de ménage (2025)
The animals had to be killed.
Il fallait le voir pour le croire.
You had to see it to believe it.
Si tu ne voulais pas venir, il fallait m'appeler, Manu.
If you didn't want to come, you should have called me, Manu.
— Andhadhun (2018)
J'ai eu du travail qu'il fallait finir.
I had some work that needed to be finished.
Il fallait mettre fin à leur lignée.
Their lineage had to be brought to an end.
— Dune : Deuxième partie (2024)
Il fallait que tu ailles là-bas te mettre dans le pétrin ?
Did you really have to go there and get yourself into trouble?
— Divorce à l'italienne (1961)
Je sais, il fallait que ça ait l'air banal et humain.
I know, it had to seem ordinary and human.
— Bugonia (2025)
Il fallait toujours que Tom gagne.
Tom always had to win.
I had to tell him.
Oui, non, mais il fallait demander à la réception, d'abord.
Yes, no, but you should have asked at reception first.
— Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (2007)
N'avez-vous pas dit qu'il fallait se montrer gentil ?
Didn't you say that one should be kind?
— No (2012)
You had to have guts.
I had to see you.
Ce n'est pas ça qu'il fallait dire.
That's not what you should have said.
Il fallait s'écraser et encaisser.
We had to keep our heads down and take it.
— Les Affranchis (1990)
I had to do it.
You should have thought of this earlier.
I had to leave.
Il fallait pas le mettre sous respirateur.
They shouldn't have put him on a ventilator.
— PIKU (2015)
Est-ce qu'il fallait l'inviter pour dîner ?
Was it necessary to invite him to dinner?
— New York Masala (2003)
Dès qu'il pleuvait, il fallait couper le courant.
Whenever it rained, we had to turn off the power.
— Fight Club (1999)
Il fallait que je le dise à quelqu'un.
I had to tell someone.
Il fallait laisser les warawara tranquilles.
The warawara should have been left alone.
— Le Garçon et le Héron (2023)
Tôt ou tard, il fallait bien revenir à Madrid.
Sooner or later, he had to return to Madrid.
— Douleur et gloire (2019)