Learning to say “go” in French is a simple and helpful step when starting to learn the language. The word “go” is used often in conversations, from giving directions to encouraging someone to move forward. In French, there are several ways to express “go,” depending on the situation or tone you want to convey.
This article will guide you on how to say “go” in French, including how to say “let’s go,” “to go,” and “go away.” You will also discover different ways to use these expressions, learn how to respond, and practice through fun exercises. By the end, you’ll feel more confident using these phrases in your conversations.
Ways to Say “Go” in French
The word “go” is versatile and widely used in daily conversations. In French, there are different ways to express it depending on the context. Whether you are encouraging someone, giving directions, or asking someone to leave, French has a range of phrases to suit each situation. Below, you will find various ways to say “go” in French, along with their pronunciation, meanings, and examples of how to use them in a sentence.
1. Aller
Pronunciation: ah-lay
Meaning: To go. This is the most common verb for “go” in French and is used in general contexts.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à l’école. (I go to school.)
- Où veux-tu aller? (Where do you want to go?)
2. Va
Pronunciation: vah
Meaning: Go (informal, singular). Used when speaking to one person casually.
In a Sentence:
- Va à la maison. (Go home.)
- Va chercher ton sac. (Go get your bag.)
3. Allez
Pronunciation: ah-lay
Meaning: Go (formal or plural). Used when addressing multiple people or being polite.
In a Sentence:
- Allez tout droit. (Go straight ahead.)
- Allez chercher les enfants. (Go pick up the kids.)
4. On y va
Pronunciation: ohn ee vah
Meaning: Let’s go. A common phrase for encouraging a group to leave or get moving.
In a Sentence:
- On y va au cinéma? (Shall we go to the movies?)
- On y va maintenant. (Let’s go now.)
5. Vas-y
Pronunciation: vah-zee
Meaning: Go ahead. Used to encourage someone to proceed with an action.
In a Sentence:
- Vas-y, commence ton histoire. (Go ahead, start your story.)
- Vas-y, entre dans la pièce. (Go ahead, enter the room.)
6. Partir
Pronunciation: pahr-teer
Meaning: To leave. Often used to describe the act of going away.
In a Sentence:
- Je dois partir maintenant. (I have to leave now.)
- Ils sont partis ce matin. (They left this morning.)
7. Dégage
Pronunciation: day-gazh
Meaning: Go away (informal, rude). Used to tell someone to leave in a commanding way.
In a Sentence:
- Dégage d’ici! (Get out of here!)
- Dégage, je suis occupé. (Go away, I’m busy.)
8. File
Pronunciation: feel
Meaning: Run along; get going. Often used in a light or gentle tone.
In a Sentence:
- File jouer dehors. (Go play outside.)
- File au lit. (Go to bed.)
9. Déplace-toi
Pronunciation: day-plahss-twah
Meaning: Move (yourself). Used to ask someone to change their location.
In a Sentence:
- Déplace-toi, s’il te plaît. (Move over, please.)
- Déplace-toi un peu. (Move a bit.)
10. Avance
Pronunciation: ah-vahnss
Meaning: Move forward. Often used when encouraging progress.
In a Sentence:
- Avance sur le trottoir. (Move forward on the sidewalk.)
- Avance, ne t’arrête pas. (Move forward, don’t stop.)
11. Marche
Pronunciation: marsh
Meaning: Walk; go. Used when instructing someone to walk somewhere.
In a Sentence:
- Marche jusqu’au parc. (Walk to the park.)
- Marche lentement, il fait glissant. (Walk slowly, it’s slippery.)
12. Pars
Pronunciation: par
Meaning: Go away. Often used to indicate someone should leave.
In a Sentence:
- Pars avant qu’il pleuve. (Leave before it rains.)
- Pars et ne reviens pas. (Go and don’t come back.)
13. Bouge-toi
Pronunciation: boozh-twah
Meaning: Move it! A casual way to tell someone to get moving.
In a Sentence:
- Bouge-toi, on est en retard! (Move it, we’re late!)
- Bouge-toi vite! (Move quickly!)
14. Disparais
Pronunciation: dee-spah-ray
Meaning: Disappear; go away. Strongly used to ask someone to leave.
In a Sentence:
- Disparais de ma vue! (Disappear from my sight!)
- Disparais avant que je me fâche. (Go away before I get angry.)
15. Fonce
Pronunciation: fohnss
Meaning: Go for it; rush forward. Often used as encouragement to act boldly.
In a Sentence:
- Fonce, tu peux réussir! (Go for it, you can do it!)
- Fonce, ils nous attendent. (Hurry, they are waiting for us.)
16. Pousse-toi
Pronunciation: poos-twah
Meaning: Step aside; move over. Used when asking someone to clear the way.
In a Sentence:
- Pousse-toi, je ne vois pas. (Move over, I can’t see.)
- Pousse-toi un peu, s’il te plaît. (Step aside a little, please.)
17. Quitte
Pronunciation: keet
Meaning: Leave. Used in formal or neutral contexts.
In a Sentence:
- Quitte la maison avant midi. (Leave the house before noon.)
- Quitte cette pièce immédiatement. (Leave this room immediately.)
18. En route
Pronunciation: ahn root
Meaning: On the way; let’s go. Used to indicate starting a journey.
In a Sentence:
- En route pour l’école! (On the way to school!)
- En route pour l’aventure. (Let’s go for an adventure.)
19. Mettez-vous en route
Pronunciation: meh-tay voo ahn root
Meaning: Get going. Used in a formal tone or to address a group.
In a Sentence:
- Mettez-vous en route, nous devons partir. (Get going, we must leave.)
- Mettez-vous en route sans tarder. (Start moving without delay.)
20. Va-t’en
Pronunciation: vah-tahn
Meaning: Go away. Directly tells someone to leave.
In a Sentence:
- Va-t’en d’ici tout de suite. (Go away from here immediately.)
- Va-t’en, je ne veux pas te parler. (Leave, I don’t want to talk to you.)
21. Laisse tomber
Pronunciation: less-tohm-bay
Meaning: Let it go; forget it. A casual way to drop a subject or action.
In a Sentence:
- Laisse tomber, ce n’est pas grave. (Let it go, it’s not important.)
- Laisse tomber, nous allons faire autre chose. (Forget it, we’ll do something else.)
22. Décampe
Pronunciation: day-kahmp
Meaning: Scram; go away. Informal and somewhat abrupt.
In a Sentence:
- Décampe d’ici tout de suite! (Scram from here immediately!)
- Décampe avant qu’il te voie. (Get out before he sees you.)
23. Éloigne-toi
Pronunciation: ay-lwahn-twah
Meaning: Move away. Used to ask someone to keep their distance.
In a Sentence:
- Éloigne-toi de cette voiture. (Move away from that car.)
- Éloigne-toi un peu, s’il te plaît. (Step back a bit, please.)
24. Passe
Pronunciation: pahss
Meaning: Go through; pass by. Often used to indicate movement past something.
In a Sentence:
- Passe par la porte arrière. (Go through the back door.)
- Passe devant moi, s’il te plaît. (Pass in front of me, please.)
25. Cours
Pronunciation: koor
Meaning: Run; go quickly. Often used to tell someone to hurry.
In a Sentence:
- Cours avant que le bus parte! (Run before the bus leaves!)
- Cours, il commence à pleuvoir. (Run, it’s starting to rain.)
26. Accélère
Pronunciation: ahk-say-lehr
Meaning: Speed up; hurry up. Often used to urge someone to go faster.
In a Sentence:
- Accélère, nous sommes en retard. (Hurry up, we’re late.)
- Accélère ton pas, s’il te plaît. (Speed up your pace, please.)
27. Dépêche-toi
Pronunciation: day-pesh-twah
Meaning: Hurry up. Commonly used when urging someone to move quickly.
In a Sentence:
- Dépêche-toi, le film commence! (Hurry up, the movie is starting!)
- Dépêche-toi, il ne reste plus beaucoup de temps. (Hurry up, there isn’t much time left.)
28. Emmène
Pronunciation: ahn-men
Meaning: Take (someone) along. Used to suggest going with someone.
In a Sentence:
- Emmène ton frère à l’école. (Take your brother to school.)
- Emmène-moi avec toi. (Take me with you.)
29. Sortir
Pronunciation: sor-teer
Meaning: To go out. Used to describe leaving an indoor space.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais sortir ce soir. (I’m going out tonight.)
- Ils veulent sortir pour une promenade. (They want to go out for a walk.)
30. Pousse
Pronunciation: pooss
Meaning: Push; move forward. Often used in situations requiring physical effort.
In a Sentence:
- Pousse la porte pour l’ouvrir. (Push the door to open it.)
- Pousse plus fort pour avancer. (Push harder to move forward.)
31. Passe-toi
Pronunciation: pahss-twah
Meaning: Step aside. Used to ask someone to move out of the way.
In a Sentence:
- Passe-toi, je dois passer. (Step aside, I need to get through.)
- Passe-toi un peu, il y a du monde qui arrive. (Move aside a little, there are people coming.)
32. Va plus loin
Pronunciation: vah ploo lwan
Meaning: Go farther. Used to suggest someone should go beyond a point.
In a Sentence:
- Va plus loin dans ton projet. (Go farther in your project.)
- Va plus loin dans la rue. (Go farther down the street.)
33. Recule
Pronunciation: ruh-kool
Meaning: Move back. Often used to ask someone to step backward.
In a Sentence:
- Recule, tu es trop près. (Move back, you’re too close.)
- Recule un peu pour laisser passer les autres. (Step back a bit to let others through.)
34. Avançons
Pronunciation: ah-vahn-sohn
Meaning: Let’s move forward. Used to suggest progress as a group.
In a Sentence:
- Avançons vers la sortie. (Let’s move forward to the exit.)
- Avançons avant qu’il ne fasse nuit. (Let’s move forward before it gets dark.)
35. Fiche le camp
Pronunciation: feesh luh kahn
Meaning: Get lost; go away (informal). A strong way to tell someone to leave.
In a Sentence:
- Fiche le camp, je n’ai pas le temps. (Get lost, I don’t have time.)
- Fiche le camp avant qu’il te voie. (Get out of here before he sees you.)
Other Ways to Say “Go” in French
Below is a table with additional ways to say “go” in French, including their pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences. These options provide even more ways to express movement, departure, or action depending on the context.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Partez | par-tay | Leave (formal or plural) | Partez avant 10 heures. (Leave before 10 a.m.)Partez immédiatement. (Leave now.) |
| Prenez la route | pruh-neh lah root | Hit the road | Prenez la route tôt demain. (Hit the road early tomorrow.)Prenez la route vite! (Hit the road quickly!) |
| Marchez-y | marsh-ay-zee | Walk there | Marchez-y doucement. (Walk there gently.)Marchez-y directement. (Walk straight there.) |
| Décollez | day-koh-lay | Take off; leave quickly | Décollez avant qu’il ne pleuve. (Take off before it rains.)Décollez, il est tard. (Leave, it’s late.) |
| Faites un pas | fet uhn pah | Take a step | Faites un pas en avant. (Take a step forward.)Faites un pas vers la porte. (Step toward the door.) |
| Passez votre chemin | pah-say voh-truh shuh-manh | Go on your way | Passez votre chemin et ne vous arrêtez pas. (Go on your way and don’t stop.) |
| Démarrez | day-mah-ray | Start; move | Démarrez la voiture. (Start the car.)Démarrez votre projet. (Start your project.) |
| Reprenez la route | ruh-pruh-neh lah root | Get back on the road | Reprenez la route après le déjeuner. (Get back on the road after lunch.) |
| Suivez | swee-vay | Follow | Suivez cette direction. (Follow this direction.)Suivez le chemin. (Follow the path.) |
| Lancez-vous | lon-say-voo | Go for it; take action | Lancez-vous dans cette aventure. (Go for it in this adventure.)Lancez-vous, n’ayez pas peur. (Go for it, don’t be afraid.) |
Responses to “Go” in French
When someone uses expressions like “go” or “let’s go” in French, it’s important to know how to respond appropriately. Responses can range from agreeing enthusiastically to giving polite or firm answers depending on the situation. Below are different responses you can use in French, along with their meanings and examples.
1. D’accord
Pronunciation: dah-kohr
Meaning: Okay; agreed.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On y va maintenant? (Shall we go now?)
Person 2: D’accord. (Okay.) - Person 1: Allez chercher le livre. (Go get the book.)
Person 2: D’accord, j’y vais. (Okay, I’ll go.)
2. Bien sûr
Pronunciation: byehn sewr
Meaning: Of course.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu peux y aller? (Can you go?)
Person 2: Bien sûr, pas de problème. (Of course, no problem.) - Person 1: On part tout de suite? (Are we leaving right now?)
Person 2: Bien sûr. (Of course.)
3. J’arrive
Pronunciation: zha-reev
Meaning: I’m coming.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Viens vite, on y va! (Come quickly, let’s go!)
Person 2: J’arrive! (I’m coming!) - Person 1: Allez, dépêche-toi. (Come on, hurry up.)
Person 2: J’arrive tout de suite. (I’m coming right away.)
4. Pas maintenant
Pronunciation: pah mahn-tehn
Meaning: Not now.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Va faire tes devoirs. (Go do your homework.)
Person 2: Pas maintenant, je suis occupé. (Not now, I’m busy.) - Person 1: On part? (Shall we go?)
Person 2: Pas maintenant. (Not now.)
5. J’y vais
Pronunciation: zhee vay
Meaning: I’m going.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu peux sortir les poubelles? (Can you take out the trash?)
Person 2: Oui, j’y vais. (Yes, I’m going.) - Person 1: Tu pars maintenant? (Are you leaving now?)
Person 2: Oui, j’y vais. (Yes, I’m going.)
6. Non, merci
Pronunciation: nohn mehr-see
Meaning: No, thank you.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu veux aller avec nous? (Do you want to go with us?)
Person 2: Non, merci. (No, thank you.) - Person 1: Vas-y, prends un dessert. (Go ahead, take a dessert.)
Person 2: Non, merci. (No, thank you.)
7. Allons-y
Pronunciation: ah-lohn-zee
Meaning: Let’s go.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On y va maintenant? (Shall we go now?)
Person 2: Oui, allons-y! (Yes, let’s go!) - Person 1: Prêts à partir? (Ready to leave?)
Person 2: Allons-y! (Let’s go!)
8. Plus tard
Pronunciation: ploo tahr
Meaning: Later.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Viens, on part maintenant. (Come on, we’re leaving now.)
Person 2: Plus tard, je suis occupé. (Later, I’m busy.) - Person 1: On peut aller au parc? (Can we go to the park?)
Person 2: Plus tard. (Later.)
9. C’est parti
Pronunciation: say pahr-tee
Meaning: Here we go.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On commence maintenant? (Are we starting now?)
Person 2: Oui, c’est parti! (Yes, here we go!) - Person 1: Tout est prêt? (Is everything ready?)
Person 2: Oui, c’est parti. (Yes, here we go.)
10. Je ne peux pas
Pronunciation: zhuh nuh puh pah
Meaning: I can’t.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Vas-y, viens avec nous. (Come on, go with us.)
Person 2: Désolé, je ne peux pas. (Sorry, I can’t.) - Person 1: Tu peux partir maintenant? (Can you leave now?)
Person 2: Non, je ne peux pas. (No, I can’t.)
11. Oui, tout de suite
Pronunciation: wee too duh sweet
Meaning: Yes, right away.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Peux-tu y aller maintenant? (Can you go now?)
Person 2: Oui, tout de suite. (Yes, right away.) - Person 1: Tu veux bien aller chercher ça? (Can you please go get that?)
Person 2: Oui, tout de suite. (Yes, right away.)
12. Ça marche
Pronunciation: sah marsh
Meaning: That works; okay.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On y va ensemble? (Are we going together?)
Person 2: Oui, ça marche. (Yes, that works.) - Person 1: Dépêche-toi! (Hurry up!)
Person 2: Ça marche! (Okay!)
13. Pourquoi pas
Pronunciation: pohr-kwah pah
Meaning: Why not.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On va au parc? (Shall we go to the park?)
Person 2: Pourquoi pas. (Why not.) - Person 1: Tu veux partir maintenant? (Do you want to leave now?)
Person 2: Pourquoi pas. (Why not.)
14. J’ai besoin de temps
Pronunciation: zhay buh-zwan duh tahn
Meaning: I need time.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Dépêche-toi, on y va! (Hurry up, we’re going!)
Person 2: J’ai besoin de temps pour me préparer. (I need time to get ready.) - Person 1: On part? (Shall we go?)
Person 2: Pas encore, j’ai besoin de temps. (Not yet, I need time.)
15. C’est une bonne idée
Pronunciation: say tün bohn ee-day
Meaning: That’s a good idea.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On devrait y aller maintenant. (We should go now.)
Person 2: Oui, c’est une bonne idée. (Yes, that’s a good idea.) - Person 1: On peut partir tôt demain? (Can we leave early tomorrow?)
Person 2: C’est une bonne idée. (That’s a good idea.)
16. J’en ai envie
Pronunciation: zhohn nay ahn-vee
Meaning: I feel like it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu veux y aller? (Do you want to go?)
Person 2: Oui, j’en ai envie. (Yes, I feel like it.) - Person 1: On peut aller au cinéma? (Can we go to the movies?)
Person 2: Oui, j’en ai envie. (Yes, I feel like it.)
17. Je suis prêt(e)
Pronunciation: zhuh swee preh (preht for feminine)
Meaning: I’m ready.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On y va? (Shall we go?)
Person 2: Oui, je suis prêt. (Yes, I’m ready.) - Person 1: Prêt pour partir? (Ready to leave?)
Person 2: Je suis prête. (I’m ready.)
18. Pas encore
Pronunciation: pah ahn-kohr
Meaning: Not yet.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On part maintenant? (Are we leaving now?)
Person 2: Pas encore, j’ai besoin de temps. (Not yet, I need time.) - Person 1: Tu veux y aller? (Do you want to go?)
Person 2: Pas encore. (Not yet.)
19. Je vais réfléchir
Pronunciation: zhuh vay ray-flay-sheer
Meaning: I’ll think about it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu veux aller en vacances là-bas? (Do you want to go on vacation there?)
Person 2: Je vais réfléchir. (I’ll think about it.) - Person 1: On part ce soir? (Shall we leave tonight?)
Person 2: Je vais réfléchir. (I’ll think about it.)
20. Avec plaisir
Pronunciation: ah-vek pleh-zeer
Meaning: With pleasure.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu peux m’accompagner? (Can you come with me?)
Person 2: Avec plaisir! (With pleasure!) - Person 1: On y va ensemble? (Shall we go together?)
Person 2: Avec plaisir. (With pleasure.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Go” in French
Below is an exercise with 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences using the different ways to say “go” in French. Try to complete them, and check your answers at the end. The meanings of the sentences are provided in English for better understanding. Each sentence relates to real-life scenarios you may encounter.
Fill-in-the-Blanks
- _____ au parc avant qu’il fasse nuit. (Go to the park before it gets dark.)
- On _____ maintenant? (Are we leaving now?)
- _____ tout droit, puis tournez à gauche. (Go straight ahead, then turn left.)
- _____ doucement, s’il te plaît. (Walk slowly, please.)
- _____ vite, on va manquer le bus! (Hurry up, we’re going to miss the bus!)
- _____, je suis occupé. (Go away, I’m busy.)
- _____, je veux explorer la ville. (Let’s go, I want to explore the city.)
- _____ un peu pour voir ce qui se passe. (Step aside a little to see what’s happening.)
- _____ par cette porte. (Go through this door.)
- Je ne peux pas partir maintenant; je _____ bientôt. (I can’t leave now; I’ll go soon.)
- _____ de cette voiture, c’est dangereux. (Move away from that car, it’s dangerous.)
- _____, on commence le match! (Here we go, the game is starting!)
Answers
- Va
- On y va
- Allez
- Marche
- Dépêche-toi
- Dégage
- Allons-y
- Pousse-toi
- Passe
- pars
- Éloigne-toi
- C’est parti
Conclusion
Learning how to say “go” in French opens up many possibilities for expressing movement, giving directions, and engaging in conversations. With versatile phrases like “aller,” “on y va,” and “dépêche-toi,” you can navigate different situations smoothly, whether you’re traveling, encouraging someone, or asking them to leave.
By practicing these expressions, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to communicate effectively. Remember to use formal or informal versions based on who you are speaking with. Keep practicing the phrases and responses to make them a natural part of your French vocabulary. Before long, using these words will feel just as easy as in English!