Vocabulary

Level: A2
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn French: Future Intentions with Aller versus Departures with Partir

By MicroFrench editorial team Published 18 Oct 2026

The short answer

Aller functions here as an auxiliary verb introducing a planned action or intention, similar to going to do something in English. Partir expresses the physical movement of leaving or setting out from a place, such as a room, office, or city, with travel being just one context.

Key points

Use aller plus an infinitive to announce what you are going to do next.
Use partir to state that someone is leaving a place or setting out, whether exiting a room, heading home from work, or departing on a trip.
Use aller followed by an infinitive to express a planned action or future intention (je vais, tu vas, il va, nous allons, vous allez, ils vont).

This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.

Start the lesson

Stage 1 of 5

Understand

What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.

Examples

Julien va envoyer le rapport avant la fin de la journée.

Julien is going to send the report before the end of the day.

Why it works: Va envoyer specifies an action intended for later today.

2 more examples

Nos voisins partent à la montagne ce week-end.

Our neighbors are leaving for the mountains this weekend.

Partir describes setting off on a short weekend trip.
Vous allez commencer la visite guidée dans cinq minutes.

You are going to start the guided tour in five minutes.

Allez commencer introduces an event scheduled to begin very soon.

Read the full guide

7 short steps, one check each

Expressing upcoming actions with aller and an infinitive

Beginners often try to translate will or use partir whenever an action involves movement.

The problem: Beginners often try to translate will or use partir whenever an action involves movement.

When you want to state what you plan to do, conjugate aller in the present tense and place your main verb directly after it in its infinitive form.

Je vais préparer le déjeuner.

I am going to prepare lunch.

Why it works: Aller is conjugated with je and followed by the infinitive préparer to announce an intention.
Nous allons regarder un film ce soir.

We are going to watch a movie tonight.

Why it works: Allons pairs with regarder to describe a planned activity later today.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that describes a planned upcoming action using an infinitive.

Show the answer

Answer: Je vais acheter du pain.

Je vais acheter combines conjugated aller with the infinitive acheter to state what the speaker intends to do.

Stating departures and trips with partir

Learners sometimes use aller when they simply want to state that someone is leaving a place.

The problem: Learners sometimes use aller when they simply want to state that someone is leaving a place.

In these basic departure sentences, the verb partir stands on its own to express leaving a place, exiting a room, or embarking on a trip, rather than functioning as an auxiliary to introduce a second action.

Le train part à dix heures précises.

The train leaves at ten o'clock sharp.

Why it works: Partir describes the physical departure of the transport.
Mes collègues partent en vacances vendredi.

My colleagues are leaving on vacation Friday.

Why it works: Partent indicates setting off on a holiday trip.

You can practise this again in Learn French: Choosing Between Je vais à and Je vais chez for Destinations and Learn French: Asking for Everyday Items with Je cherche and Avez-vous.

Your turn

Choose the option that describes setting out on a trip.

Show the answer

Answer: Nous partons en voyage demain matin.

Partons en voyage uses the verb partir to indicate departure on a trip.

Conjugating aller and partir for singular subjects

Irregular present-tense endings can lead to spelling mistakes in short messages.

The problem: Irregular present-tense endings can lead to spelling mistakes in short messages.

For singular subjects, aller uses je vais, tu vas, and il or elle va. In contrast, partir uses je pars, tu pars, and il or elle part with an s or t ending.

Tu vas choisir un dessert.

You are going to choose a dessert.

Why it works: Vas matches tu to introduce an action.
Marc part tôt chaque matin.

Marc leaves early every morning.

Why it works: Part matches the third-person singular subject Marc.

Your turn

Which sentence correctly pairs a singular subject with a departure verb?

Show the answer

Answer: Elle part pour Lyon après la réunion.

Elle part correctly uses the third-person singular form of partir.

Using plural forms for shared plans

Confusing the first-person plural forms allons and partons can alter the intended message.

The problem: Confusing the first-person plural forms allons and partons can alter the intended message.

With plural subjects, nous allons requires an infinitive to announce a group activity, while nous partons announces when or where the group is heading out.

Nous allons réserver les chambres d'hôtel.

We are going to book the hotel rooms.

Why it works: Allons introduces the joint task of booking.
Nous partons de la gare centrale à huit heures.

We are leaving from the central station at eight o'clock.

Why it works: Partons specifies the physical point of departure.

Your turn

Choose the sentence where a group announces their plan to clean the living room.

Show the answer

Answer: Nous allons nettoyer le salon ensemble.

Nous allons nettoyer combines the plural auxiliary with the action infinitive nettoyer.

Prepositions commonly used with partir

Beginners often confuse prepositions of destination and origin when using partir.

The problem: Beginners often confuse prepositions of destination and origin when using partir.

When specifying a destination with partir, pour is a common choice before cities or countries, alongside prepositions like à. To name the place you are leaving from, use de.

Claire part pour Marseille demain soir.

Claire is leaving for Marseille tomorrow evening.

Why it works: Pour marks the intended destination of the trip with partir.
Les enfants partent de l'école à quatre heures.

The children leave school at four o'clock.

Why it works: De marks the starting point being left behind.

Your turn

Which sentence correctly indicates someone heading toward a travel destination with partir?

Show the answer

Answer: Mon frère part pour l'Italie samedi.

Part pour l'Italie is the natural construction to indicate departing for a country or city.

Forming negative sentences with both verbs

Placing ne and pas around the wrong verb in two-verb constructions creates confusion.

The problem: Placing ne and pas around the wrong verb in two-verb constructions creates confusion.

In near-future sentences, place ne and pas around the conjugated form of aller. With partir, wrap ne and pas directly around the conjugated form of partir.

Je ne vais pas assister à cette conférence.

I am not going to attend this conference.

Why it works: Ne and pas surround the conjugated auxiliary vais.
Nous ne partons pas avant midi.

We are not leaving before noon.

Why it works: Ne and pas surround the single conjugated verb partons.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly expresses that the speaker is not going to buy the tickets.

Show the answer

Answer: Je ne vais pas acheter les billets.

Ne and pas wrap around the conjugated verb vais, followed by the infinitive acheter.

Combining aller and partir in realistic contexts

Learners sometimes struggle to tell whether someone is announcing an errand or leaving for good.

The problem: Learners sometimes struggle to tell whether someone is announcing an errand or leaving for good.

You can use both verbs in the same conversation: aller introduces the errands or actions you plan to complete, while partir signals the moment you head out the door.

Je vais ranger mes dossiers et ensuite je pars.

I am going to tidy my folders and then I am leaving.

Why it works: Vais ranger names the task, while pars announces the departure that follows.
Elle va fermer la boutique avant de partir.

She is going to close the shop before leaving.

Why it works: Va fermer describes the action she intends to perform first.

Your turn

Which sentence describes doing a quick task before leaving the house?

Show the answer

Answer: Je vais éteindre la lumière, puis je pars.

Vais éteindre names the action to complete, and je pars states the subsequent departure.

Before you go

Remember this

Use aller plus an infinitive to announce what you are going to do next. Use partir to state that someone is leaving a place or setting out, whether exiting a room, heading home from work, or departing on a trip.

Stage 2 of 5

Listen

Hear it in real sentences, from short to long, and write what you hear.

0 of 5 done

Listening 1 of 5 2 s Leaving an office room