Aller in the present: fully irregular (despite the -er ending)
-ER verbs — The Verb Aller (to go)
The verb aller is one of the most important verbs in French.
Although it ends in -er, it does NOT follow first-group patterns.
It is completely irregular and must be learned separately.
Why Aller Is Extremely Important
Aller is used constantly in everyday French.
It allows you to:
- Talk about movement and destinations
- Express plans and intentions
- Form the near future tense (“going to do something”)
A Special Case: Not a True -ER Verb
Even though it ends in -er, aller does not belong to the regular first group.
Its conjugation uses multiple stems, which makes it irregular.
Present Tense Conjugation of Aller
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| je | vais |
| tu | vas |
| il / elle / on | va |
| nous | allons |
| vous | allez |
| ils / elles | vont |
👉 vas / va → similar sound
Key Takeaways
- Aller means “to go” and is very common.
- It looks like an -er verb but is fully irregular.
- It uses multiple stems in the present tense.
- It forms the near future tense.
- It must be memorized early for practical communication.
In the app, you will find interactive exercises and quizzes tailored for this intermediate level.
Practice French conjugation for free in the Croissant Verbs app
Quizzes and spaced repetition for every tense, for free on your phone—plus short grammar guides on our Learn hub.
