Present Tense: aller (to go)

French verbs usually follow predictable patterns. Most verbs ending in -er are very well-behaved. They follow the rules every single time. Aller is the rebel of the group. It ends in -er, but it is completely irregular. It is actually the only irregular -er verb in French. It changes its shape almost entirely depending on who is "going." You cannot just guess the forms based on other verbs. You have to memorize them one by one. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. You have to know exactly what each color means to move forward.

1. 1For "I go," use je vais. It sounds like the English word "vay."
2. 2For "you go" (singular/informal), use tu vas. This sounds like "vah."
3. 3For "he/she/it/one goes," use il/elle/on va. This also sounds like "vah."
4. 4For "we go," use nous allons. Notice the -er root finally appears here.
5. 5For "you go" (plural/formal), use vous allez. This sounds like "vooz-allay."
6. 6For "they go," use ils/elles vont. This rhymes with the French word for "bridge."

Use aller for physical movement toward a destination. For example, you are going to a café. Je vais au café. Use it when asking for directions in a new city. It is also essential for the "Near Future." This is a huge shortcut for beginners. You do not need the complex future tense yet. Just use aller plus another verb. Je vais manger means "I am going to eat." Finally, use it for health and greetings. Comment ça va ? literally means "How is it going?"

Do not use aller when you mean "to leave." If you are exiting a room, use partir. Aller always needs a destination in mind. It focuses on where you are arriving. Partir focuses on the fact that you are departing. Also, do not use it for "becoming" something. In English, we might say we are "going crazy." In French, you do not "go" crazy. You "become" crazy using the verb devenir. Using aller there would sound very strange to a local.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! The most common mistake is the s in tu vas. Many people forget to write it. Conversely, people often try to add an s to il va. Remember: the s is only for tu. Another mistake is mixing up ils vont (they go) and ils ont (they have). One single letter changes the entire meaning. Finally, watch your pronunciation of vont. The t at the end is silent. If you pronounce it, you might confuse your listener.

Compare aller to venir (to come). Aller moves away from your current location. Venir moves toward you. It is like a two-way street. Also, compare aller to regular -er verbs like marcher (to walk). While marcher keeps its stem march-, aller transforms into va-, v-, and all-. It is a shapeshifter! Don't let the -er ending fool you into thinking it is simple. It requires its own special attention in your study routine.