Mastering ‘Go’ in French: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to express the verb “to go” in French is fundamental for basic communication. It’s one of the first verbs learners encounter, and mastering its various forms and usages is crucial for expressing movement, intentions, and future plans.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the French verb *aller*, covering its conjugation, idiomatic expressions, and common pitfalls. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will deepen your understanding and improve your fluency in French.

This article is designed for anyone learning French, from beginners taking their first steps to more advanced students aiming to refine their grammar. It will be beneficial for travelers, students, and anyone with an interest in French language and culture.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Definition of *Aller*
• Structural Breakdown: Conjugation of *Aller*
• Types and Categories of *Aller* Usage
  • Simple Future (Futur Proche)
  • Imperative Mood
  • Idiomatic Expressions with *Aller*
• Examples of *Aller* in Use
  • Present Tense Examples
  • Future Tense Examples
  • Past Tense Examples
  • Imperative Mood Examples
  • Idiomatic Expressions Examples
• Usage Rules for *Aller*
  • Agreement Rules
  • Prepositions Used with *Aller*
• Common Mistakes with *Aller*
• Practice Exercises
  • Conjugation Exercise
  • Sentence Completion Exercise
  • Translation Exercise
• Advanced Topics
  • Subjunctive Mood with *Aller*
  • Conditional Mood with *Aller*
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Definition of *Aller*

The French verb *aller* translates to “to go” in English. It is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow the standard patterns of regular French verbs. *Aller* is a verb of motion, indicating movement from one place to another.

It is also used in the formation of the *futur proche* (near future) tense.

Classification: *Aller* is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object. It typically requires a preposition to indicate the destination (e.g., *aller à*, *aller en*, *aller chez*). Its primary function is to express movement, direction, or intention to move.

Contexts: *Aller* is used in various contexts, including:

• Expressing physical movement: *Je vais au cinéma* (I am going to the cinema).
• Forming the near future tense: *Je vais manger* (I am going to eat).
• Describing a state of being: *Comment allez-vous?* (How are you?).
• Idiomatic expressions: *Ça va* (It’s going well/I’m fine).

Structural Breakdown: Conjugation of *Aller*

*Aller* is an irregular verb, and its conjugation must be memorized. Here’s a breakdown of its conjugation in the present tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Translation
Je	vais	I go / I am going
Tu	vas	You go / You are going (singular, informal)
Il/Elle/On	va	He/She/One goes / He/She/One is going
Nous	allons	We go / We are going
Vous	allez	You go / You are going (plural or formal)
Ils/Elles	vont	They go / They are going

Understanding the present tense conjugation is crucial because it’s the foundation for other tenses and constructions. Mastering these forms will significantly improve your ability to communicate in French.

Here’s the conjugation of *aller* in the *passé composé* (past tense):

Pronoun	Conjugation	Translation
Je	suis allé(e)	I went
Tu	es allé(e)	You went (singular, informal)
Il/Elle/On	est allé/allée	He/She/One went
Nous	sommes allé(e)s	We went
Vous	êtes allé(e)(s)	You went (plural or formal)
Ils/Elles	sont allés/allées	They went

Note the agreement of the past participle *allé* with the subject. For feminine subjects (singular or plural), an ‘e’ is added.

For plural subjects (masculine or feminine), an ‘s’ is added. When using *vous*, the ‘s’ is optional if referring to a single person.

Here’s the conjugation of *aller* in the *imparfait* (imperfect) tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Translation
Je	allais	I was going / I used to go
Tu	allais	You were going / You used to go (singular, informal)
Il/Elle/On	allait	He/She/One was going / He/She/One used to go
Nous	allions	We were going / We used to go
Vous	alliez	You were going / You used to go (plural or formal)
Ils/Elles	allaient	They were going / They used to go

Types and Categories of *Aller* Usage

The verb *aller* is versatile and used in several key grammatical constructions. Here are some of the most important:

Simple Future (Futur Proche)

*Aller* is used with an infinitive to form the *futur proche*, which expresses the near future. This construction is very common in spoken French.

Structure: *Aller* (conjugated in the present tense) + infinitive

Example: *Je vais manger* (I am going to eat).

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is used to give commands or instructions. The imperative of *aller* is used to tell someone to go.

Forms:

• *Va* (to a singular, informal person – *tu*)
• *Allons* (to include oneself in the command – *nous*)
• *Allez* (to a plural or formal person – *vous*)

Example: *Va à la boulangerie!* (Go to the bakery!).

Idiomatic Expressions with *Aller*

*Aller* appears in many common idiomatic expressions, which often have meanings that are not immediately obvious from the literal translation of “to go.”

Examples:

• *Ça va?* (How’s it going? / Are you okay?)
• *Ça va aller.* (It will be okay.)
• *Comment allez-vous?* (How are you? – formal)
• *Aller bien/mal* (To be doing well/badly)

Examples of *Aller* in Use

Here are extensive examples of *aller* used in various tenses and constructions.

Present Tense Examples

The present tense of *aller* expresses current movement or intention.

Sentence	Translation
Je vais au travail tous les jours.	I go to work every day.
Tu vas à la plage en été.	You go to the beach in the summer.
Il va au cinéma ce soir.	He is going to the cinema tonight.
Elle va à Paris la semaine prochaine.	She is going to Paris next week.
On va souvent au restaurant.	We often go to the restaurant.
Nous allons en Italie pour les vacances.	We are going to Italy for vacation.
Vous allez au concert?	Are you going to the concert?
Ils vont à l’école en bus.	They go to school by bus.
Elles vont faire du shopping.	They are going shopping.
Je vais bien, merci.	I am doing well, thank you.
Tu vas comment?	How are you? (informal)
Il va chez le médecin.	He is going to the doctor’s.
Elle va à la piscine.	She is going to the swimming pool.
Nous allons au marché.	We are going to the market.
Vous allez où?	Where are you going? (formal/plural)
Ils vont en Espagne.	They are going to Spain.
Elles vont à la bibliothèque.	They are going to the library.
Je vais dormir.	I am going to sleep.
Tu vas étudier?	Are you going to study?
Il va pleuvoir.	It is going to rain.

Future Tense Examples

Using *aller* to form the *futur proche* expresses the immediate future.

Sentence	Translation
Je vais étudier ce soir.	I am going to study tonight.
Tu vas regarder un film.	You are going to watch a movie.
Il va jouer au football.	He is going to play football.
Elle va chanter une chanson.	She is going to sing a song.
Nous allons voyager en France.	We are going to travel to France.
Vous allez manger au restaurant.	You are going to eat at the restaurant.
Ils vont visiter le musée.	They are going to visit the museum.
Elles vont danser toute la nuit.	They are going to dance all night.
Je vais faire les courses demain.	I am going to do the shopping tomorrow.
Tu vas téléphoner à ta mère.	You are going to call your mother.
Il va lire un livre.	He is going to read a book.
Elle va écrire une lettre.	She is going to write a letter.
Nous allons partir en vacances.	We are going to go on vacation.
Vous allez apprendre le français.	You are going to learn French.
Ils vont construire une maison.	They are going to build a house.
Elles vont organiser une fête.	They are going to organize a party.
Je vais acheter une voiture.	I am going to buy a car.
Tu vas vendre ta maison.	You are going to sell your house.
Il va commencer un nouveau travail.	He is going to start a new job.
Elle va finir ses études.	She is going to finish her studies.

Past Tense Examples

Using *aller* in the *passé composé* expresses that someone went somewhere.

Sentence	Translation
Je suis allé au cinéma hier.	I went to the cinema yesterday.
Tu es allé à la plage?	Did you go to the beach?
Il est allé en Italie.	He went to Italy.
Elle est allée à la bibliothèque.	She went to the library.
Nous sommes allés au restaurant.	We went to the restaurant.
Vous êtes allés où?	Where did you go? (formal/plural)
Ils sont allés à la montagne.	They went to the mountains.
Elles sont allées faire du shopping.	They went shopping.
Je suis allée en France l’année dernière.	I went to France last year. (female speaker)
Tu es allé au concert?	Did you go to the concert? (male speaker)
Il est allé chez le médecin.	He went to the doctor’s.
Elle est allée à la fête.	She went to the party.
Nous sommes allés en Espagne.	We went to Spain.
Vous êtes allés au musée?	Did you go to the museum? (formal/plural)
Ils sont allés au parc.	They went to the park.
Elles sont allées à l’école.	They went to school.
Je suis allé voir un ami.	I went to see a friend. (male speaker)
Tu es allée au marché?	Did you go to the market? (female speaker)
Il est allé à Londres.	He went to London.
Elle est allée au travail.	She went to work.

Imperative Mood Examples

The imperative mood of *aller* gives commands or instructions.

Sentence	Translation
Va à la poste.	Go to the post office.
Allons-y!	Let’s go!
Allez tout droit.	Go straight ahead. (formal/plural)
Va te coucher!	Go to bed!
Allons manger!	Let’s go eat!
Allez au tableau!	Go to the board! (formal/plural)
Va chercher le journal.	Go get the newspaper.
Allons au cinéma ce soir.	Let’s go to the cinema tonight.
Allez-vous en!	Go away! (formal/plural)
Va voir ce qui se passe.	Go see what’s happening.

Idiomatic Expressions Examples

Examples of *aller* used in idiomatic expressions.

Sentence	Translation
Comment ça va?	How’s it going?
Ça va bien, merci.	I’m fine, thank you.
Ça va aller.	It will be okay.
Tout va bien.	Everything is fine.
Comment allez-vous?	How are you? (formal)
Ça ne va pas.	It’s not going well.
Ça va de soi.	That goes without saying.
Il va sans dire que…	It goes without saying that…
Ça va mieux.	It’s getting better.
Comment va ta mère?	How is your mother?
Ça va coûter cher.	It’s going to cost a lot.
Laisse-moi y aller.	Let me go there.
Vas-y!	Go for it!
Comment va la vie?	How’s life going?
Ça va comme ci, comme ça.	It’s so-so.

Usage Rules for *Aller*

*Aller* follows specific grammatical rules, especially regarding prepositions and agreement.

Agreement Rules

When *aller* is used in the *passé composé*, the past participle *allé* must agree in gender and number with the subject if *aller* is conjugated with *être* (which it always is).

• Masculine singular: *Il est allé*
• Feminine singular: *Elle est allée*
• Masculine plural: *Ils sont allés*
• Feminine plural: *Elles sont allées*

Prepositions Used with *Aller*

The preposition used with *aller* depends on the destination.

• *À* is used with feminine countries, cities, and places: *aller à Paris*, *aller à la plage*, *aller à l’école*.
• *En* is used with feminine countries, and means of transportation: *aller en France*, *aller en voiture*.
• *Chez* is used to indicate going to someone’s home or place of business: *aller chez le médecin*, *aller chez Marie*.
• *Au* is used with masculine countries and places: *aller au Canada*, *aller au cinéma*.
• *Aux* is used with plural places: *aller aux États-Unis*.

Common Mistakes with *Aller*

Here are some common mistakes learners make with *aller* and how to correct them.

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Je vais à France.	Je vais en France.	Use *en* with feminine countries.
Je suis allé. (said by a female)	Je suis allée.	The past participle must agree with the subject’s gender.
Je vais manger le pizza.	Je vais manger la pizza.	Ensure correct article agreement with nouns.
Va à la maison! (when speaking to multiple people)	Allez à la maison!	Use the correct imperative form for *vous*.
Comment est-ce que tu vas?	Comment vas-tu?	Invert the subject and verb for questions, or use “comment ça va?”.

Practice Exercises

Test your knowledge of *aller* with these exercises.

Conjugation Exercise

Conjugate *aller* in the present tense.

Pronoun	Your Answer	Correct Answer
Je		vais
Tu		vas
Il/Elle/On		va
Nous		allons
Vous		allez
Ils/Elles		vont
Je (passé composé)		suis allé(e)
Tu (imparfait)		allais

Sentence Completion Exercise

Complete the sentences with the correct form of *aller*.

Sentence	Your Answer	Correct Answer
Nous _______ au cinéma ce soir.		allons
Tu _______ à la plage en été?		vas
Ils _______ en France l’année prochaine.		vont
Je _______ bien, merci.		vais
Vous _______ où?		allez
Elle _______ chez le médecin.		va
Je _______ faire les courses.		vais
Nous _______ partir en vacances.		allons
Ils _______ visiter le musée.		vont
Comment _______-vous?		allez

Translation Exercise

Translate the following sentences into French using *aller*.

English Sentence	Your Answer	Correct Answer
I am going to the store.		Je vais au magasin.
Are you going to eat?		Vas-tu manger?
They are going to travel.		Ils vont voyager.
We went to the park.		Nous sommes allés au parc.
Go to bed!		Va te coucher!
She is going to school.		Elle va à l’école.
Let’s go!		Allons-y!
How is it going?		Comment ça va?
I am going to sleep.		Je vais dormir.
Where are you going?		Où allez-vous?

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding *aller* in more complex grammatical structures is essential.

Subjunctive Mood with *Aller*

The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, or emotion. *Aller* can appear in subordinate clauses requiring the subjunctive.

Example: *Il faut que j’aille au travail* (It is necessary that I go to work).

Conditional Mood with *Aller*

The conditional mood expresses what would happen under certain conditions. The conditional of *aller* is used to say “would go.”

Conjugation:

Pronoun	Conjugation
Je	irais
Tu	irais
Il/Elle/On	irait
Nous	irions
Vous	iriez
Ils/Elles	iraient

Example: *J’irais à Paris si j’avais le temps* (I would go to Paris if I had the time).

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about using *aller* in French.

1. What’s the difference between *aller* and *venir*?

   *Aller* means “to go,” indicating movement away from the speaker. *Venir* means “to come,” indicating movement towards the speaker.

2. How do I know which preposition to use with *aller*?

   The preposition depends on the destination. Use *à* with cities and feminine places, *en* with feminine countries and means of transportation, *chez* with people, *au* with masculine places, and *aux* with plural places.

3. Why does *allé* sometimes have an ‘e’ or ‘s’ at the end?

   When *aller* is used in the *passé composé*, the past participle *allé* must agree in gender and number with the subject. Add ‘e’ for feminine singular, ‘s’ for masculine plural, and ‘es’ for feminine plural.

4. Can I use *aller* to talk about the distant future?

   While *aller* is primarily used for the near future (*futur proche*), it can sometimes be used for more distant future events, but it’s more common to use the *futur simple* for those cases.

5. What does “Ça va?” really mean?

   “Ça va?” is a versatile expression that can mean “How’s it going?”, “Are you okay?”, or “Is everything alright?”. The context usually clarifies the meaning.

6. Is *aller* always used with a preposition?

   Generally, yes. *Aller* usually requires a preposition to indicate the destination. However, in the *futur proche* construction, it is followed by an infinitive without a preposition.

7. How do I form a question with *aller*?

   You can form a question with *aller* using inversion (e.g., *Vas-tu au cinéma?*), adding “est-ce que” (e.g., *Est-ce que tu vas au cinéma?*), or by using rising intonation in spoken French (e.g., *Tu vas au cinéma?*).

8. What’s the difference between *aller à* and *se rendre à*?

   *Aller à* is a more common and informal way to say “to go to.” *Se rendre à* is more formal and implies a deliberate or official journey to a specific location.

Conclusion

Mastering the verb *aller* is essential for anyone learning French. From expressing simple movements to forming the near future tense and understanding idiomatic expressions, *aller* is a fundamental building block of the language.

By understanding its conjugation, usage rules, and common pitfalls, you can significantly improve your fluency and confidence in French.

Continue practicing with various exercises, listen to native speakers, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different contexts. Remember that language learning is a journey, and every step you take brings you closer to fluency.

With consistent effort and a solid understanding of *aller*, you’ll be well on your way to mastering French!