je vais à l'école à pied
The English phrase "I walk to school" is translated into French as je vais à l'école à pied.
This phrase is used to say that someone travels to their school by walking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I go to the school on foot".
Which one should you use?
While je marche means 'I walk', the standard way to express traveling to a destination by walking is using the verb aller (to go) combined with à pied. For example, je marche vers l'école means "I walk towards the school". Another way to express this is using the gerund en marchant (by walking) instead of the prepositional phrase à pied, as in je vais à l'école en marchant, which translates to "I go to school by walking".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adverbial phrase à pied is used to specify that the mode of transport is walking.
Did you know?
- The French word pied is a distant relative of the English word 'foot'. They both share a prehistoric root that connects them to words in Lithuanian and Persian.
- Even though je marche means 'I walk', using it to mean 'I walk to school' can imply you are simply strolling in that direction rather than describing your usual commute.
Examples in context
- Je me déplace à pied pour me rendre à l'école.I move on foot to get to school.
- Je fais le trajet à pied jusqu'à l'école.I make the journey to school on foot.
- Je me déplace à l'école en marchant.I move to school by walking.
- Tous les jours, je marche tranquillement le long de la rivière pour me rendre à l'école.Every day, I walk peacefully along the river to get to school.
- Le matin, je vais à l'école à pied avec mes amis en traversant le parc.In the morning, I walk to school with my friends, crossing the park.
- Je vais à l'école à pied tous les matins.I walk to school every morning.
- Il pleut, mais je vais à l'école à pied.It is raining, but I walk to school.
- Pourquoi je vais à l'école à pied ?Why do I walk to school?
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their commute outside a building.
- GabrielTu prends le bus pour venir ?Do you take the bus to get here?
- LéaNon, je vais à l'école à pied.No, I walk to school.
- GabrielC'est long pour toi ?Is it a long way for you?
- LéaNon, c'est très rapide.No, it is very quick.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, pied, vais, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
