on y va
The English phrase "shall we" is translated into French as on y va.
on y va is used to suggest leaving a place or starting an activity together. You can turn the suggestion into a direct question to a group by adding a question mark: On y va ? (Shall we go?).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "one there goes" or "we there go".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
on y va is the standard informal way to suggest starting a movement or an activity. For a different colloquial way to suggest an activity, such as "Do you feel like…", you might use Ça te dit de…
How does it change in a sentence?
In this context, the pronoun on is used to mean "we", which is the standard way to express "we" in informal spoken French.
When do people say it?
When someone suggests a movement by asking On y va ?, a common way to agree is to repeat the phrase with an exclamation point: On y va ! (Let's go!).
Did you know?
Examples in context
- On y va ?Shall we go?Tatoeba #10665563 by AutoBot, translation #241078 by Dejo
- On y va et on mange ?Shall we go and eat?Tatoeba #2242776 by Dreamk33, translation #456667 by lukaszpp
- On se retrouve au café ?Shall we meet at the café?
- On se fait un pique-nique ?Shall we have a picnic?
- Ça te dit de regarder un film ?Do you feel like watching a movie?
- Ça te dit de sortir prendre l'air ?Do you feel like going out for some fresh air?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are at a party and are ready to head home.
- ChloéJe suis fatiguée, on y va ?I am tired, shall we go?
- HugoOui, je suis d'accord.Yes, I agree.
- ChloéOn y va maintenant ?Shall we go now?
- HugoC'est parti !Let's go!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries on, va, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
