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4.7. Les verbes aller et (re)venir

The Verbs Aller and (Re)venir

4.7.1. The Main Idea

The verbs aller and venir describe movement.

aller	to go
venir	to come
revenir	to come back / to return

Use aller when someone is going to a place.

Use venir when someone is coming from or toward a place.

Use revenir when someone is coming back.

4.7.2. The Verb Aller

je vais	I go / I am going
tu vas	you go / you are going, informal
il va	he goes / he is going
elle va	she goes / she is going
nous allons	we go / we are going
vous allez	you go / you are going, formal or plural
ils vont	they go / they are going, masculine or mixed
elles vont	they go / they are going, feminine

4.7.3. The Verb Venir

je viens	I come / I am coming
tu viens	you come / you are coming, informal
il vient	he comes / he is coming
elle vient	she comes / she is coming
nous venons	we come / we are coming
vous venez	you come / you are coming, formal or plural
ils viennent	they come / they are coming, masculine or mixed
elles viennent	they come / they are coming, feminine

4.7.4. The Verb Revenir

je reviens	I come back / I am coming back
tu reviens	you come back / you are coming back, informal
il revient	he comes back / he is coming back
elle revient	she comes back / she is coming back
nous revenons	we come back / we are coming back
vous revenez	you come back / you are coming back, formal or plural
ils reviennent	they come back / they are coming back, masculine or mixed
elles reviennent	they come back / they are coming back, feminine

4.7.5. Aller à: Going To a Place

Use aller à to say someone is going to a place.

Je vais à l’université.	I am going to the university.
Tu vas au café ?	Are you going to the café?
Il va au restaurant.	He is going to the restaurant.
Elle va à la maison.	She is going home / to the house.
Nous allons en classe.	We are going to class.
Vous allez à la réunion ?	Are you going to the meeting?
Ils vont au cours.	They are going to class.

4.7.6. Venir de: Coming From a Place

Use venir de to say someone is coming from a place.

Je viens de Calgary.	I come from Calgary.
Tu viens de Beijing ?	Do you come from Beijing?
Il vient du Canada.	He comes from Canada.
Elle vient de Chine.	She comes from China.
Nous venons de l’université.	We are coming from the university.
Vous venez du café ?	Are you coming from the café?
Ils viennent du restaurant.	They are coming from the restaurant.

4.7.7. Revenir de: Coming Back From a Place

Use revenir de to say someone is coming back from a place.

Je reviens du cours.	I am coming back from class.
Tu reviens de l’université ?	Are you coming back from the university?
Il revient du café.	He is coming back from the café.
Elle revient de la maison.	She is coming back from the house.
Nous revenons du restaurant.	We are coming back from the restaurant.
Vous revenez de la réunion ?	Are you coming back from the meeting?

4.7.8. À Forms

à + le = au	to the, masculine singular
à + la = à la	to the, feminine singular
à + l’ = à l’	to the, before vowel sound
à + les = aux	to the, plural

au café	to the café
à la maison	to the house / home
à l’université	to the university
aux États-Unis	to the United States

4.7.9. De Forms

de + le = du	from the, masculine singular
de + la = de la	from the, feminine singular
de + l’ = de l’	from the, before vowel sound
de + les = des	from the, plural

du café	from the café
de la maison	from the house
de l’université	from the university
des États-Unis	from the United States

4.7.10. Questions with Aller and Venir

Tu vas où ?	Where are you going?
Vous allez où ?	Where are you going? formal or plural
Tu viens d’où ?	Where are you from? / Where are you coming from?
Vous venez d’où ?	Where are you from? / Where are you coming from? formal or plural
Tu reviens d’où ?	Where are you coming back from?
Vous revenez d’où ?	Where are you coming back from? formal or plural

4.7.11. Core Patterns

aller à	to go to
venir de	to come from
revenir de	to come back from
Je vais à ___ .	I am going to ___ .
Je viens de ___ .	I come from ___ . / I am coming from ___ .
Je reviens de ___ .	I am coming back from ___ .

4.7.12. Practice

I am going to the café. |

You are going to the university. informal |

He is going to the restaurant. |

We are going to class. |

I come from Calgary. |

She comes from China. |

They are coming from the restaurant. masculine or mixed |

I am coming back from class. |

Where are you going? informal |

Where are you coming from? informal |

4.7.13. Answers

I am going to the café.	Je vais au café.
You are going to the university. informal	Tu vas à l’université.
He is going to the restaurant.	Il va au restaurant.
We are going to class.	Nous allons en classe.
I come from Calgary.	Je viens de Calgary.
She comes from China.	Elle vient de Chine.
They are coming from the restaurant. masculine or mixed	Ils viennent du restaurant.
I am coming back from class.	Je reviens du cours.
Where are you going? informal	Tu vas où ?
Where are you coming from? informal	Tu viens d’où ?

4.7.14. Short Dialogue

A : Tu vas où ?	A: Where are you going?
B : Je vais au café. Et toi ?	B: I am going to the café. And you?
A : Je reviens du cours.	A: I am coming back from class.
B : D’accord. À plus !	B: Okay. See you later!

4.7.15. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to conjugate aller, venir, and revenir, say where someone is going with aller à, say where someone is coming from with venir de, and recognize forms such as au, à la, à l’, du, de la, and de l’.

4.7.16. Try It Out

Try saying this in French:

Where are you going?

I’m going to the café.

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Possible answer:

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