A2 verb

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

sentence order A2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Je m'en vais maintenant.

This sentence means 'I'm going away now.' 'S'en aller' is a reflexive verb, so 'Je' takes 'm'en'.

sentence order A2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Tu t'en vas où?

This means 'Where are you going (away)?' Remember to use the correct reflexive pronoun ('t'en') for 'tu'.

sentence order A2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Il s'en va demain.

This translates to 'He is going away tomorrow.' 'S'en' is the reflexive pronoun for 'il/elle/on'.

listening C1

Listen for the reason they left quickly.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Ils ont dû s'en aller précipitamment à cause de l'orage.
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
listening C1

Listen for her decision regarding leaving.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Malgré les supplications, elle a décidé de s'en aller sans un mot.
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
listening C1

Listen for the suggestion about leaving.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Le temps commence à se gâter, il serait peut-être sage de s'en aller maintenant.
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

Il est grand temps de s'en aller avant la tombée de la nuit.

Focus: s'en aller

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

Pourquoi ne pas s'en aller loin de tout ce vacarme?

Focus: vacarme

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking C1

Read this aloud:

Je ne peux pas m'en aller sans avoir dit au revoir.

Focus: dit au revoir

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

/ 12 correct

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