aller (présent)
Irregular Verb Aller (To Go)
Aller is the only irregular verb ending in -er. It is used to say where you are going (Je vais à Paris), how you are doing (Ça va ?), or what you are about to do (Je vais manger).
How It Works
The verb aller is one of the most important verbs in French. Here is how it is conjugated in the present tense:
- Je vais (I go / I am going)
- Tu vas (You go / You are going)
- Il/Elle/On va (He/She/One/We go)
- Nous allons (We go / We are going)
- Vous allez (You go / You are going)
- Ils/Elles vont (They go / They are going)
Note: In spoken French, on is very commonly used instead of nous to mean 'we'.
Key Usage Rules:
1. Movement: It usually requires a destination. You cannot just say 'Je vais'; you must say where, or use the pronoun y (J'y vais).
2. Liaison: In the plural forms nous allons and vous allez, you must perform a liaison, pronouncing the 's' as a /z/ sound.
3. The Near Future: It acts as a helper verb in the futur proche to describe actions that are planned or certain to happen.
4. Health and Suitability: It is used to ask 'How are you?' (Comment vas-tu ?) and to say if something suits or fits you (Ça te va bien !).
Examples (4)
- Je vais à la bibliothèque.
I am going to the library.
Word by Word: I go to the library.
Shows the basic use of 'aller' to indicate movement toward a destination.
- Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui ?
How are you doing today?
Word by Word: How go you today?
Demonstrates using 'aller' to ask about someone's well-being or health.
- Nous allons regarder un film ce soir.
We are going to watch a movie tonight.
Word by Word: We go to watch a movie this evening.
Shows 'aller' used as a semi-auxiliary to form the near future tense.
- Ils vont au restaurant avec Marie.
They are going to the restaurant with Marie.
Word by Word: They go to the restaurant with Marie.
Note the irregular third-person plural form 'vont'.
Common Mistakes
Using 'aller' like a regular -er verb.
Je alle à l'école.Je vais à l'école.Learners often try to apply the regular -er endings (like 'parle'), but 'aller' is completely irregular.
Using 'à' with 'chez'.
Je vais à chez mon ami.Je vais chez mon ami.When going to a person's house, use 'chez' directly without the preposition 'à'.
Confusing 'ils vont' with 'ils ont'.
Ils ont au cinéma.Ils vont au cinéma.'Ils ont' means 'they have' (from avoir), while 'ils vont' means 'they go' (from aller).
How It Connects
Learn This First
Learning the irregular verb 'aller' requires a foundational knowledge of French subject pronouns and basic sentence structure. Additionally, because several forms of 'aller' begin with vowels or involve plural endings, understanding liaison is necessary for proper pronunciation.
- jeFirst-person Singular Je
To conjugate 'aller', the learner must first understand the subject pronouns that determine the verb forms (je, tu, il, etc.).
Level 1 - Linking a silent consonant to the next vowel
Liaison is critical for the correct pronunciation of plural forms like 'nous allons', 'vous allez', and 'ils vont'.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- aller + InfinitiveNear Future with Aller + Infinitive
The present tense of 'aller' is the foundation for forming the near future tense.
Level 1 - chezAt Someone's Place with Chez
Used with 'aller' when the destination is a person's home or place of business.
Level 1 - s'en allerLeaving with S'en Aller
A common variation of 'aller' used specifically to mean 'to leave' or 'to be off'.
Level 2 - y (lieu)Locative Pronoun Y
The pronoun 'y' is frequently used with 'aller' to replace a previously mentioned destination.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice aller (présent) in Bubblegum
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