On peut aller à
The English phrase "can we go to" is translated into French as On peut aller à.
This phrase is used to ask for permission or to suggest visiting a specific place. In spoken, everyday French, using on to mean "we" is the most common way to express this idea.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, On peut aller à means "One can go to". It is composed of on (one/we), peut (can/is able to), aller (to go) and à (to).
Which one should you use?
While On peut aller à is a standard way to ask the question, you can also use Peut-on aller à for a more formal effect by inverting the verb and the subject.
Did you know?
- The word on shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'man', as both stem from ancient concepts of 'a person' or 'humanity' rather than a specific count of people.
- In France, using on instead of nous can sometimes make a request feel less demanding and more like a collective suggestion.
- While on literally means 'one', using it to mean 'we' is so ubiquitous in modern speech that using the formal nous to say 'can we go' might actually make you sound like a character in a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, pourrions-nous aller à la plage demain ?Excuse me, could we go to the beach tomorrow?
- Salut, on peut aller à la fête ce soir ?Hey, can we go to the party tonight?
- Est-ce qu'on peut aller à la piscine demain ?Can we go to the pool tomorrow?
- Est-ce qu'on peut aller au cinéma ce soir ?Can we go to the cinema tonight?
- Pourrions-nous aller au restaurant demain ?Could we go to the restaurant tomorrow?
- On peut aller à la montagne ce week-end ?Can we go to the mountains this weekend?
- On peut aller à la bibliothèque aujourd'hui ?Can we go to the library today?
- On peut aller à la plage cet après-midi.We can go to the beach this afternoon.
- Est-ce qu'on peut aller à ce nouveau restaurant ?Can we go to this new restaurant?
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are planning their afternoon in the city.
- ChloéOn peut aller à la piscine ?Can we go to the swimming pool?
- GabrielNon, on peut aller au cinéma à la place.No, we can go to the cinema instead.
- ChloéD'accord, c'est une bonne idée.Okay, that's a good idea.
- GabrielSuper, on y va !Great, let's go!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aller, on, peut, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
