s'en aller
Leaving with S'en Aller
s'en aller = to leave / to go away.
It is more immediate and conversational than partir.
How It Works
The verb s'en aller is a common way to say 'I'm leaving' or 'I'm off' in everyday French. While partir often implies a trip or a specific destination, s'en aller focuses on the act of moving away from where you currently are.
1. Conjugation in the Present Tense:
The pronouns me/te/se/nous/vous and en always stay together before the verb:
- Je m'en vais
- Tu t'en vas
- Il/Elle/On s'en va
- Nous nous en allons
- Vous vous en allez
- Ils/Elles s'en vont
2. The Passé Composé:
Like all reflexive verbs, it uses être as the auxiliary. The past participle allé must agree with the subject.
Example: Elle s'en est allée. (She left.)
3. The Imperative (Commands):
In the affirmative imperative, the pronouns follow the verb with hyphens. Note that the t' in Va-t'en is the reflexive pronoun te, not a 'euphonic t'.
- Va-t'en ! (Go away!)
- Allons-nous-en ! (Let's get out of here!)
- Allez-vous-en ! (Leave!)
Examples (5)
- Il est tard, je m'en vais.
It's late, I'm leaving.
Word by Word: It is late, I myself from-there go.
A very common way to announce you are departing a social gathering.
- Ne t'en va pas, s'il te plaît !
Don't go away, please!
Word by Word: Not yourself from-there go not, if it to-you pleases!
In negative commands, the pronouns stay before the verb.
- Ils s'en sont allés sans un mot.
They left without a word.
Word by Word: They themselves from-there are gone without a word.
In the past tense, the past participle 'allés' agrees with the masculine plural subject 'ils'.
- Va-t'en ! Je suis en colère.
Go away! I am angry.
Word by Word: Go-yourself-from-there! I am in anger.
The imperative 'Va-t'en' is a strong way to tell someone to leave.
- Nous nous en allons demain matin.
We are leaving tomorrow morning.
Word by Word: We ourselves from-there go tomorrow morning.
The present tense can be used for near-future departures.
Common Mistakes
Mixing up the pronoun order.
Je en me vais.Je m'en vais.The reflexive pronoun (me, te, se...) must always come before 'en'.
Using it with a direct object like 'quitter'.
Je m'en vais la maison.Je quitte la maison.S'en aller is intransitive; it cannot take a direct object. If you want to name the place you are leaving, use the verb 'quitter'.
Misspelling the imperative 'Va-t'en'.
Vas-t'en !Va-t'en !In the imperative, -er verbs (like aller) do not take an 's' in the 'tu' form unless followed by 'y' or 'en' as standalone pronouns. Here, 'en' is part of the fixed verb, so 'va' remains 'va'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 's'en aller', you first need to know how to conjugate the base verb 'aller'. Since it is a pronominal verb, you must also be familiar with reflexive pronouns. Finally, understanding the pronoun 'en' is essential because it is a fixed part of this specific idiomatic construction.
- aller (présent)Irregular Verb Aller (To Go)
The verb 's'en aller' is built upon the irregular conjugation of the verb 'aller'.
Level 1 - me / te / se / nous / vous / seReflexive Pronoun Forms
The 's'' in 's'en aller' is a reflexive pronoun that must change to match the subject (m', t', s', etc.).
Level 2 - en (partitif)Partitive Pronoun En
The particle 'en' is a core component of this idiomatic expression and its placement follows the rules of the pronoun 'en'.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- être + Past ParticipleCompound Past with Etre
As a pronominal verb, s'en aller always uses être in compound tenses.
Level 2 - Giving commands
The imperative forms of s'en aller (like Va-t'en) are very common but follow specific pronoun placement rules.
Level 1 - partir / sortir / dormirThe Partir/sortir/dormir Verb Group
Partir is the most common synonym for s'en aller, though it has different nuances.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice s'en aller in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes French lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
