More irregular verbs
The verb aller (to go)
Wherever you want to go, you’ll need the verb aller (to go). It is an -er irregular verb, also used in many idiomatic expressions.
je vais - I go
tu vas - you go
nous allons - we go
vous allez - you go
il/elle va - he/she goes
ils/elles vont - they go
Ils vont à Paris à la fin du mois.
They are going to Paris at the end of the month.
Elle ne va pas à l’école demain.
She is not going to school tomorrow.
Use the preposition à (to, at, in) to say where you are going. Watch out for the
Contraction: à+ le = au and à + les = aux.
Je vais au théâtre ce soir.
I am going to the theater tonight.
Elle va souvent à l’opéra.
She often goes to the opera.
Léa va à la bibliothèque.
Léa is going to the library.
Chloé veut aller aux États-Unis.
Chloé wants to go to the United States.
Aller is used in many common expressions.
Ça va?
How are you? How are things going?
Comment allez-vous?
How are you?
Ce tailleur vous va bien.
This suit looks good on you.
Comment va la famille?
How is the family?
The immediate future tense
Aller is also used to form the immediate future. So, to talk about what you are going to do, use aller in the present indicative followed immediately by a verb in the infinitive.
Je vais acheter une voiture en mai.
I am going to buy a car in May.
Nous allons faire un voyage en avril.
We are going to go on a trip in April.
Elle va apprendre le chinois.
She is going to learn Chinese.
Ils vont bientôt déménager.
They’re going to move soon.
This construction can replace the present in colloquial speech.
Vous déjeunez avec nous?
Are you having lunch with us?
Vous allez déjeuner avec nous?
Are you going to have lunch with us?
Est-ce que tu acceptes leur offre?
Are you accepting their offer?
Est-ce que tu vas accepter leur offre?
Are you going to accept their offer?
And in everyday conversation, the immediate future is often used as a substitute for the future tense (le futur simple).
Vous partirez la semaine prochaine?
You’ll leave next week?
Vous allez partir la semaine prochaine?
You’re going to leave next week?
Vous prendrez des vacances?
Will you take any vacation?
Vous allez prendre des vacances?
Are you going to take any vacation?
The verb venir (to come)
The verb venir (to come) and its derivatives, devenir (to become), prévenir (to warn, to inform), survenir (to occur), are all commonly used verbs. First, let’s look at the conjugation:
je viens - I come
tu viens - you come
il/elle vient - he/she comes
nous venons we come
vous venez - you come
ils/elles viennent - they come
Vous venez à huit heures ce soir?
Are you coming at eight this evening?
D’où viennent-ils?
Where are they coming from?
N’oubliez pas de nous prévenir.
Don’t forget to inform us.
The immediate past
The verb venir (to come) in the present tense + de, combined with a verb in the infinitive, expresses an action that has just taken place. Although the construction venir de is in the present tense in
French, it conveys an idea in the past in English.
Il vient de partir.
He just left .
Elle vient de vendre sa voiture.
She just sold her car.
Tenir
Another verb conjugated like venir is tenir (to hold):
je tiens - I hold
tu tiens - you hold
il/elle tient - he/she holds
nous tenons - we hold
vous tenez - you hold
ils/elles tiennent - they hold
Il tient ses gants à la main.
He holds his gloves in his hand
Tiens la porte!
Hold the door!
Tenir has several different meanings.
Le directeur ne tient jamais ses promesses.
Th e manager never keeps his promises
Il tient son fils par la main.
He is holding his son’s hand.
La caféine la tient éveillée. .
Caffeine keeps her awake
Ils tiennent un restaurant à Nice.
They run a restaurant in Nice.
Toutes ces affaires ne vont pas tenir dans ta valise.
All these things won’t fit in your suitcase.
Ils tiennent le rythme.
They are keeping up the pace.
Elle tient compte de vos commentaires.
She takes your comments into account.
Tiens, tiens, c’est étrange...
Well, well, this is strange . . .
Tiens, prends ces trois livres.
Here, take these three books.
When used with the preposition à or de, tenir takes on
another meaning.
Elle tient à ses bijoux.
She is attached to her jewels.
Ils tiennent à leurs habitudes.
They are attached to their habits.
Marc tient à vous voir.
Marc insists on seeing you.
De qui tient-elle?
Whom does she take after?
Elle tient de sa mère.
She takes after her mother.