🚶❗

How to Say ‘I have to go.’ in French

Je dois y aller.

zhuh dwah ee ah-leh

[zhuh dwah ee ah-leh]

💬 Usage Tip: Y means "there" and goes before aller, so this is literally "I must there go".

Phrase Breakdown

Je dois

zhuh dwah

I have to

From 'devoir' (must). Say 'zheu dwa'.

Example

Je dois travailler.

I have to work.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

dois

[dwah]

must

Second person singular present tense of 'devoir', indicating an obligation or necessity.

Example

Tu dois manger.

You must eat.

y aller.

ee ah-leh

go.

'Y aller' = 'go (there)'. Say it as one sound: 'ya-lay'.

Example

On peut y aller ?

Can we go?

Words in this phrase

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

aller

[ah-leh]

to go

Infinitive form of the verb 'to go', used for motion or travel.

Example

Je pense qu'il serait bien d'aller ailleurs.

I think it would be nice to go somewhere else.

Guides for French learners

Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.Babbel vs Pimsleur: Reading Your Way In or Listening Your Way In?Babbel vs Pimsleur: short structured lessons on screen versus 30-minute audio lessons you answer out loud. Which gets you speaking, and which fits your day.

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