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Saying 'il reste' and 'il manque' with the real subject after the verb

French has a group of verbs about things existing, remaining, being missing or happening that like to start with an empty il. This il means nothing at all. It just fills the subject slot, and the thing you are really talking about comes after the verb: il reste deux places (there are two seats left), il manque du sel (there isn't enough salt), il existe plusieurs méthodes (there are several methods), il est arrivé un accident (an accident happened).

English speakers tend to trip over this in two ways. Some translate word for word and say deux places restent, which is grammatical but sounds stiff and bookish in everyday speech. Others feel that two seats need a plural verb and say ils restent, which is simply wrong here. The fix is simple: keep il, keep the verb singular, and put the real subject after it.

Word list
arriverA2 to happen il est arrivé un accident = an accident happened demeurerA2 to be left il demeure un doute = one doubt remains (formal) resterA2 to be left il reste du pain = there is some bread left se passerA2 to happen il se passe quelque chose = something is going on subsisterA2 to be left il subsiste quelques doutes = a few doubts remain (formal) tomberA2 to fall il tombe de la neige = snow is falling apparaîtreB1 to appear il est apparu des fissures dans le mur = cracks appeared in the wall existerB1 to exist il existe plusieurs méthodes = there are several methods paraîtreB1 to appear il paraît que tu déménages = I hear you're moving (apparently) s'écoulerB1 to pass by il s'est écoulé deux ans = two years went by (formal) semblerB1 to appear il semble que c'est fermé = it seems it's closed manquerB2 to lack il manque du sel = there isn't enough salt se produireB2 to happen il s'est produit une explosion = an explosion occurred suffireB2 to suffice il suffit de demander = you only have to ask survenirC1 to happen il est survenu un problème = a problem came up (formal)
How it works

The pattern is always the same: il + singular verb + the real subject. English usually translates it with there is / there are … left, … is missing or … happened. French does not use a there word for these verbs, so do not add y a.

Il reste trois places dans le train.
(There are three seats left on the train.)

Three things to remember:

  • The verb agrees with il, never with what follows. You say il reste trois places, not ils restent.
  • In compound tenses with être, the past participle does not agree either: il est arrivé deux accidents, with no -s on arrivé.
  • The real subject usually starts with an indefinite word: un, du, des, a number, quelque chose, plusieurs. With a definite subject (le train, mes clés), French switches back to the normal order: mes clés manquent or, more naturally, il me manque mes clés is avoided in favour of je n'ai plus mes clés.

You can also slip in a person with me, te, lui and so on, to say who has something left or missing: il me reste = I have … left.

Il me reste cinq euros.
(I have five euros left.)
The words
Existing and being missing

Rester is the everyday verb for what is left. Exister is a slightly more formal way to say there are. Manquer says that something is lacking or missing.

Il manque deux chaises pour le dîner.
(Two chairs are missing for dinner.)
Il existe plusieurs façons de résoudre ce problème.
(There are several ways to solve this problem.)

Demeurer and subsister mean the same as rester but belong to formal writing, news and reports.

Il demeure plusieurs difficultés.
(Several difficulties remain.)
Il subsiste quelques doutes sur son innocence.
(A few doubts about his innocence remain.)
Happening

Se passer is the most common in conversation. Arriver often describes something unexpected, usually bad. Se produire and especially survenir sound more formal, the kind of thing you read in the news.

Il se passe quelque chose de bizarre.
(Something strange is going on.)
Il est arrivé un accident sur l'autoroute.
(An accident happened on the motorway.)
Il s'est produit une panne d'électricité.
(There was a power cut.)
Il est survenu un problème technique.
(A technical problem came up.)
Weather

Tomber works the same way when you talk about rain or snow falling.

Il tombe de la neige depuis ce matin.
(Snow has been falling since this morning.)
Watch out
Two meanings of manquer

Impersonal il manque deux chaises means the chairs are missing. With a person as subject, manquer de means to be short of something: on manque de temps (we're short of time). And tu me manques means I miss you, a completely different pattern.

When the real subject is a verb or a clause

A few verbs use the same empty il, but what follows is de + infinitive or que + clause. Suffire and sembler work like this, and so do il faut, il s'agit de, il vaut mieux and il paraît que.

Il suffit d'appuyer sur le bouton.
(You just have to press the button.)
Il me semble que la boutique est fermée.
(I think the shop is closed.)
The typical mistake

Avoid ils restent trois places or ils sont arrivés deux accidents. The empty il is always singular, whatever comes after it.

Summary

When something is left, missing, existing or happening, start with an empty il, keep the verb singular, and put the real subject after it: il reste du pain, il manque deux chaises, il est arrivé un accident. The verb never agrees with what follows, and adding me or lui tells you who it concerns: il me reste cinq euros.