Overview
The verb aller means to go in English and is one of the most commonly used verbs in French. It is an irregular verb and serves not only as a verb indicating movement but also as an auxiliary verb to form the near future tense. Mastering aller is essential for everyday conversation and for expressing future actions.
Usage
Aller is used to describe physical movement or travel from one place to another. It is also used idiomatically to indicate how someone is doing (e.g., Comment ça va?). Additionally, it forms the near future tense by combining the present tense of aller + an infinitive verb, indicating something that is going to happen soon.
Conjugations
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | vais | I go / I am going | Je vais à l'école. | I am going to school. |
| tu | vas | you go / you are going | Tu vas au marché. | You are going to the market. |
| il / elle / on | va | he / she / one goes | Il va chez le médecin. | He is going to the doctor’s. |
| nous | allons | we go / we are going | Nous allons au cinéma. | We are going to the cinema. |
| vous | allez | you go / you are going (formal/plural) | Vous allez en vacances. | You are going on vacation. |
| ils / elles | vont | they go / they are going | Elles vont à la plage. | They are going to the beach. |
Examples in Sentences
- Je vais manger. — I am going to eat.
- Ils vont partir demain. — They are going to leave tomorrow.
- Comment ça va? — How are you? (literally: How is it going?)
- Nous allons au parc. — We are going to the park.
Related Concepts
- Near future tense formation with aller + infinitive.
- Irregular verb conjugation patterns.
- Expressions and idioms using aller.
