s'en aller
When you want to express the idea of leaving a place or going away in French, you'll often hear and use the verb s'en aller. This is a pronominal verb, which means it uses a reflexive pronoun (like 'se' or 's') that changes based on the subject of the sentence. The 'en' in s'en aller specifically refers to the place one is leaving, but it doesn't always need to be explicitly stated afterward; it's often implied. Think of it as 'to go from here' or 'to go away from there'. While 'partir' also means 'to leave', s'en aller often emphasizes the act of departing or moving away more directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions'S'en aller' is a reflexive verb, so it conjugates with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se). It also uses 'être' as its auxiliary verb in compound tenses. For example, 'je m'en vais' (I'm leaving), 'tu t'en vas' (you're leaving), 'il/elle/on s'en va' (he/she/one is leaving), 'nous nous en allons' (we're leaving), 'vous vous en allez' (you all are leaving), 'ils/elles s'en vont' (they are leaving).
'Aller' generally means 'to go,' while 's'en aller' specifically means 'to go away' or 'to leave.' 'Aller' can be used in a more general sense of movement towards a place, whereas 's'en aller' emphasizes the act of departing from a current location.
Yes, 'partir' is often a good substitute for 's'en aller' as it also means 'to leave' or 'to depart.' The choice between them can sometimes be a matter of nuance or personal preference, but they are largely interchangeable in many contexts. For example, 'Je pars' and 'Je m'en vais' both mean 'I'm leaving'.
'S'en aller' is used in both informal and formal contexts. It's a very common and natural way to express 'to go away' or 'to leave' in everyday French. You'll hear it in casual conversations and see it in more formal writing.
In the passé composé (past tense), 's'en aller' uses 'être' as its auxiliary verb and the past participle 'allé'. Remember to agree the past participle with the subject. For example, 'Je me suis en allé(e)' (I left), 'Nous nous sommes en allé(e)s' (We left).
'Va-t'en !' is the imperative form of 's'en aller' for 'tu' and means 'Go away!' or 'Get lost!'. It's a direct command and can be quite strong depending on the context and tone of voice.
Yes, you can. 'S'en aller' can also mean 'to disappear' or 'to fade away,' especially when talking about abstract things or physical objects that are no longer present. For example, 'Le soleil s'en va' (The sun is going down/disappearing).
A very common expression is 's'en aller en fumée' which means 'to go up in smoke' or 'to come to nothing.' Another is 's'en aller les pieds devant', which is a rather morbid way to say 'to die' (literally 'to go away feet first').
The 'en' in 's'en aller' is a pronoun that refers to the place one is leaving from. It implicitly means 'from here' or 'from there,' making the verb signify a departure from a location without explicitly stating the location itself. Think of it as 'to go from it/there'.
For the futur simple (simple future) of 's'en aller', you would say: 'Je m'en irai' (I will leave), 'Tu t'en iras' (You will leave), 'Il/Elle/On s'en ira' (He/She/One will leave), 'Nous nous en irons' (We will leave), 'Vous vous en irez' (You all will leave), 'Ils/Elles s'en iront' (They will leave).
Test Yourself 12 questions
This sentence means 'I'm going away now.' 'S'en aller' is a reflexive verb, so 'Je' takes 'm'en'.
This means 'Where are you going (away)?' Remember to use the correct reflexive pronoun ('t'en') for 'tu'.
This translates to 'He is going away tomorrow.' 'S'en' is the reflexive pronoun for 'il/elle/on'.
Listen for the reason they left quickly.
Listen for her decision regarding leaving.
Listen for the suggestion about leaving.
Read this aloud:
Il est grand temps de s'en aller avant la tombée de la nuit.
Focus: s'en aller
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Pourquoi ne pas s'en aller loin de tout ce vacarme?
Focus: vacarme
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Je ne peux pas m'en aller sans avoir dit au revoir.
Focus: dit au revoir
You said:
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/ 12 correct
Perfect score!
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