Go vs Come
This short guide explains when to use aller (to go) and venir (to come) with clear examples.
Aller
Use aller to describe moving away from the current location toward another place or to talk about future actions when going somewhere.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🏃♂️ Je vais au café pour te retrouver. | I’m going to the café to meet you. | Going to a place to meet someone |
| 🚌 Il va à la conférence dans un autre quartier. | He is going to the conference in another neighborhood. | Going to a distant event |
| 🚲 Nous allons au parc pour la promenade. | We are going to the park for a walk. | Going to a recreational place |
| 🚶♀️ Elle va chez son ami du coin. | She is going to her friend’s nearby place. | Going to a friend's place nearby |
Expressions
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🕒 Je dois y aller. | I have to go (there). |
| 🚪 Il est temps d’y aller. | It’s time to go (there). |
| ✉️ Je vais envoyer ce message en partant. | I’m going to send this message as I leave. |
| 🗺️ On y va ! | Let’s go! (There we go!) |
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Venir
Use venir to describe moving toward the speaker's location or to highlight someone arriving at or returning to the place where the speaker is.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Elle vient chez moi ce soir. | She’s coming to my place tonight. | Coming to the speaker's home |
| 🚗 Ils viennent du centre-ville. | They are coming from downtown. | Coming from a known place |
| 👫 Tu viens à la réunion avec nous ? | Are you coming to the meeting with us? | Inviting someone to come along |
| 📍 Je viens où tu es. | I’m coming where you are. | Moving towards listener’s location |
Expressions
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏃 Je viens ! | I’m coming! |
| 📞 Je vais venir tout de suite. | I’m coming right away. |
| 🙋 Est-ce que je peux venir ? | Can I come? |
| 🛎️ Ils viennent d’arriver. | They have just arrived. |
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Special Uses
Venir de can mean "to have just" done something when followed by an infinitive, and both verbs appear in idiomatic expressions for timing and movement.
Summary
Remember: use aller to go away toward a place and venir to come toward the speaker; attention to context makes choosing between them natural.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025