French expressions with "aller"

French is a language rich with idiomatic expressions, and many of these involve the versatile verb "aller" (to go). Understanding these expressions can significantly enhance your French vocabulary and help you sound more natural in conversations. Let's explore some common "aller" expressions and their uses.

Common Expressions with "Aller"

1. Aller bien / mal

• Meaning: To be doing well / badly
• Usage: "Comment vas-tu?" "Je vais bien, merci!"
• Example: "Elle va mal depuis sa rupture." (She's been doing badly since her breakup.)

2. Comment ça va?

• Meaning: How's it going?
• Usage: A common greeting, similar to "How are you?"
• Example: "Salut Pierre, comment ça va?" (Hi Pierre, how's it going?)

3. Aller + infinitive

• Meaning: Used to express a near future action
• Usage: "Je vais faire mes devoirs." (I'm going to do my homework.)
• Example: "Nous allons partir en vacances demain." (We're going to leave for vacation tomorrow.)

4. Aller chercher

• Meaning: To go and get (something or someone)
• Usage: "Je vais chercher du pain." (I'm going to get some bread.)
• Example: "Peux-tu aller chercher les enfants à l'école?" (Can you go pick up the children from school?)

5. S'en aller

• Meaning: To leave, to go away
• Usage: "Il est tard, je vais m'en aller." (It's late, I'm going to leave.)
• Example: "Les oiseaux s'en vont vers le sud pour l'hiver." (The birds are flying south for the winter.)

6. Aller de soi

• Meaning: To go without saying, to be self-evident
• Usage: "Cela va de soi." (That goes without saying.)
• Example: "Il va de soi que nous devons respecter la loi." (It goes without saying that we must respect the law.)

7. Aller avec

• Meaning: To go with, to match
• Usage: "Cette cravate va bien avec ta chemise." (This tie goes well with your shirt.)
• Example: "Le rouge ne va pas avec le orange." (Red doesn't go with orange.)

8. Y aller

• Meaning: To go there, to get going
• Usage: "On y va?" (Shall we go?)
• Example: "Il faut y aller maintenant si on ne veut pas être en retard." (We need to get going now if we don't want to be late.)

Using "Aller" in Different Tenses

Understanding how to conjugate "aller" in various tenses is crucial for using these expressions correctly:

1. Present tense: Je vais, tu vas, il/elle va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont
2. Passé composé: Je suis allé(e), tu es allé(e), il/elle est allé(e), etc.
3. Imparfait: J'allais, tu allais, il/elle allait, nous allions, vous alliez, ils/elles allaient
4. Future: J'irai, tu iras, il/elle ira, nous irons, vous irez, ils/elles iront

Practical Tips for Using "Aller" Expressions

• Practice using "aller" expressions in context by creating short dialogues.
• Listen to French conversations or watch French movies to hear these expressions in action.
• Remember that "aller" is an irregular verb, so its conjugations don't follow standard patterns.
• Use "aller + infinitive" to talk about your immediate future plans.

By incorporating these "aller" expressions into your French vocabulary, you'll be able to communicate more fluently and naturally in a variety of everyday situations.