Ready to get moving? Whether you're planning a spontaneous outing, encouraging a friend, or just want to inject some energy into a conversation, knowing how to say "let's go" in French is incredibly useful. But did you know there's more than one way to express this common phrase?

Just like in English, French offers a variety of expressions to convey urgency, excitement, or simple agreement to depart. From casual suggestions to more emphatic calls to action, mastering these nuances will make your French sound much more natural and authentic.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "let's go" in French, so you'll be ready for any situation!

The standard and most direct 'let's go' or 'let's do it' – allons-y

The standard and most direct 'let’s go' or 'let’s do it' – allons-y

Allons-y is the quintessential French expression for 'let’s go' or 'let’s do it,' widely used in everyday conversation.

It’s a compound expression formed from the first-person plural imperative of the verb aller (to go) – allons – combined with the adverbial pronoun y.

The 'y' in allons-y usually refers to a place or an idea that is either implied or has been previously mentioned, meaning 'there' or 'to it'.

Its most common use is to suggest moving from one place to another, acting as a direct translation of 'let’s go'.

Beyond physical movement, allons-y frequently serves as an encouragement to start an activity, task, or conversation, translating to 'let’s do it,' 'let’s get started,' or 'come on!'

The beauty of allons-y lies in its versatility; the specific 'where' or 'what' is often understood through the context of the conversation.

This expression is perfectly suitable for both informal and moderately formal situations, making it a reliable choice in most social settings.

Depending on the tone, allons-y can convey anything from a gentle suggestion to an enthusiastic or urgent call to action.

You'll hear allons-y constantly in France, whether people are leaving a café, starting a meeting, or encouraging someone to begin.

💡 * Allons-y, il est tard! (Let's go, it's late!)

• Le film va commencer, allons-y! (The movie is about to start, let's go!)
• On a du travail, alors allons-y! (We have work to do, so let's get to it!)
• Je suis prêt(e), allons-y! (I'm ready, let's do it!)
• C'est une bonne idée, allons-y! (That's a good idea, let's go for it!)

The informal and very common 'let's go' – on y va

The informal and very common 'let's go' – on y va

The phrase on y va is a staple in everyday French conversation, literally breaking down to 'one goes there' or 'we go there.' Here, 'on' is an impersonal pronoun often translated as 'we' or 'one,' 'y' refers to 'there' or 'to it,' and 'va' is the third-person singular conjugation of aller (to go).

While its literal translation involves movement, on y va is almost always used idiomatically to mean 'let's go,' 'are we going?' or 'shall we start?' It's a versatile expression used to initiate action or departure.

Most commonly, on y va is used when you're about to leave a place or move from one location to another. It's the French equivalent of saying 'let's head out' or 'time to go.'

Beyond physical movement, on y va can also signal the beginning of an activity or task. For example, if you're about to start working on a project or begin a game, you might say on y va to get everyone started.

This phrase is highly informal and incredibly common among friends, family, and even colleagues in casual settings. Its brevity and directness make it a go-to expression in daily life.

While allons-y also means 'let's go,' on y va is generally more informal and frequently used. Allons-y carries a slightly more direct or even imperative tone, whereas on y va can be a gentler suggestion.

💡 * On y va, les amis? (Shall we go, friends?)

• C'est l'heure, on y va! (It's time, let's go!)
• Prêt pour le travail? On y va! (Ready for work? Let's start!)
• Allez, on y va, on est en retard. (Come on, let's go, we're late.)
• On y va pour le dîner? (Shall we go for dinner?)

The 'here we go' or 'it's started', often used to mean 'let's go' – c'est parti

The French expression c'est parti is a highly versatile phrase that literally translates to 'it's gone' or 'it's departed,' but is most commonly used to mean 'here we go,' 'it's started,' or 'let's go!'

One of its main uses is to announce that something has just begun. Think of it as the verbal equivalent of pressing a 'start' button, signaling the commencement of an activity or event.

More often, c'est parti serves as an enthusiastic prompt to initiate an action or journey. It conveys a sense of excitement and readiness, urging everyone involved to get moving or begin.

This phrase inherently carries a tone of enthusiasm or anticipation. It's not just a factual statement; it's a declaration that an activity is about to kick off, often with energy and a positive outlook.

You'll hear c'est parti in a wide range of contexts: before starting a car trip, beginning a game, launching an event, or even just setting off on a walk. It's perfect for any 'go time' moment where a new phase is beginning.

Grammatically, c'est parti is composed of c'est (it is) and parti, the past participle of the verb partir (to leave, to depart). Despite parti being masculine singular, the phrase is idiomatic and doesn't change gender or number to agree with the subject of the action.

In essence, c'est parti is the ultimate French phrase for signaling the beginning of something, whether it's an action, an event, or a journey, always with a hint of eagerness and momentum.

💡 *On a fait le plein, la carte est prête, c'est parti pour les vacances! (We filled up the tank, the map is ready, here we go for the holidays!)
*Le compte à rebours est terminé, c'est parti pour la course! (The countdown is over, the race has started!)
*Allez, tout le monde est prêt? C'est parti! (Come on, everyone's ready? Let's go!)
*Dès que le signal retentit, c'est parti. (As soon as the signal sounds, it's started/we're off.)
*Avec ce nouveau projet, c'est parti pour des mois de travail acharné. (With this new project, it's started for months of hard work.)

The 'forward!' or 'onward!', used to encourage movement – en avant

The French phrase en avant directly translates to 'forward!' or 'onward!' It serves as a powerful exclamation.

Its primary function is to encourage movement, progress, or action, often implying a directive to move ahead, whether physically or metaphorically.

You'll frequently hear en avant in situations requiring collective effort or motivation, such as in sports, military commands, or when urging someone to proceed with enthusiasm.

Beyond literal physical movement, en avant can also convey a sense of pushing forward with a project or idea, emphasizing dynamic and determined progress.

💡 * En avant, la France ! (Forward, France!)

• En avant ! Ne t'arrête pas ! (Keep going! Don't stop!)
• Les soldats ont marché en avant. (The soldiers marched forward.)
• Il faut aller en avant avec ce projet. (We must move forward with this project.)

The 'let's move' or 'let's get going' (often with a sense of urgency) – bougeons

The 'let's move' or 'let's get going' (often with a sense of urgency) – bougeons

In French, bougeons is a common and versatile way to express "let's move," "let's get going," or "let's hurry up."

It's the first-person plural (nous) imperative form of the verb bouger, which means "to move."

This phrase is generally informal and carries a sense of urgency or directness. You'll hear it often among friends, family, or in situations where a quick collective action is needed.

While it simply means "let's move," the implied urgency often makes it more akin to "come on, let's go!" or "let's get a move on!"

It's perfect for encouraging a group to depart, to change position, or to start an activity quickly.

💡 * Bougeons, on va être en retard ! (Let's move, we're going to be late!)

• Allez, bougeons d'ici, il fait froid. (Come on, let's get out of here, it's cold.)
• On a beaucoup à faire, bougeons ! (We have a lot to do, let's get going!)
• Bougeons un peu, on est assis depuis trop longtemps. (Let's move a bit, we've been sitting for too long.)

The 'let's get started' or 'let's launch ourselves' – on se lance

The French expression on se lance literally translates to “we launch ourselves.” It's a dynamic and popular way to say “let's get started,” “let's dive in,” or “let's go for it.”

This phrase is commonly used to signal the beginning of an activity, a project, an adventure, or a challenge. It conveys a collective decision to embark on something new, often with enthusiasm.

On se lance implies more than just a simple start; it carries a sense of readiness, excitement, and sometimes a hint of taking a leap. It's perfect when you want to inspire action or show eagerness.

While on commence (we start) or commençons (let's begin) are more neutral, on se lance suggests a more committed, active, and sometimes slightly daring initiation. It's about 'taking the plunge' together.

💡 * Allez, on se lance dans ce nouveau projet ! (Come on, let's dive into this new project!)

• On a toutes les informations, on se lance ! (We have all the information, let's go for it!)
• Prêts pour l'aventure ? On se lance ! (Ready for the adventure? Let's launch ourselves!)
• C'est difficile, mais on se lance quand même. (It's difficult, but we're going for it anyway.)

The informal, often urgent 'let's go' (borrowed from Arabic) – yalla

The word yalla (often spelled yallah) is an informal, energetic interjection used in French, borrowed directly from Arabic. It's primarily used to mean 'let's go,' 'come on,' or 'hurry up.'

Yalla carries a sense of urgency and informality, making it suitable for encouraging quick action or getting a group to move. It's a direct and spirited way to prompt someone.

While originating from Arabic, yalla has been widely adopted into colloquial French, particularly in areas with strong cultural ties or among younger generations, for its expressive and concise nature.

💡 * Yalla, on y va! On est en retard. (Come on, let's go! We're late.)

• Yalla, dépêche-toi! (Come on, hurry up!)
• On doit partir maintenant, yalla! (We have to leave now, let's go!)
• Yalla, rejoins-nous, la fête commence! (Come on, join us, the party is starting!)

The 'on our way' or 'let's hit the road' – en route

The expression en route in French translates literally to 'on road' and is used to signify 'on the way,' 'en route,' or even 'let's go/let's hit the road.'

Its most common usage is to indicate that someone or something is currently traveling towards a destination. It's often used with verbs like être (to be) or partir (to leave) to describe the state of being in transit.

It can also be used more colloquially as an exclamation to suggest departure or getting started, similar to 'let's go' or 'let's hit the road' in English. In this context, it often implies a shared journey or activity.

💡 * Nous sommes en route pour Paris. (We are on our way to Paris.)

• Le colis est en route et devrait arriver demain. (The package is en route and should arrive tomorrow.)
• Allez, en route! On va être en retard. (Come on, let's go! We're going to be late.)
• La navette est en route pour l'aéroport. (The shuttle is on its way to the airport.)

The simple 'go!' or 'come on!', often used as an encouragement to start – allez

The French word allez is a versatile and common exclamation, frequently used to mean 'go!', 'come on!', 'let's go!', or 'hurry up!' It's a fundamental expression for encouragement or urging action.

Allez is the imperative form of the verb aller (to go) for the 'vous' form (plural or formal 'you'). This grammatical root explains its core meaning of movement or initiation.

Most often, allez serves as a direct encouragement to start an activity, to cheer someone on, or to express impatience for something to begin. Think of a coach telling a team 'Go!' or a friend urging another to start walking.

It's important to distinguish allez from its singular, informal counterpart, vas. You use allez when addressing multiple people, or one person formally (using vous). For a single, informal friend, you would say vas.

Beyond simple encouragement, allez can also be heard in sports (like 'Allez les Bleus!' for the French national teams), or to express a general sense of 'come on!' when someone is being slow or hesitant.

💡 *Allez! On va être en retard! (Come on! We're going to be late!)
*Allez, les enfants, au lit! (Go, kids, to bed!)
*Allez les Bleus! (Go, France! / Come on, France!)
*Allez, dis-moi ce qui s'est passé. (Come on, tell me what happened.)
*Allez, courage! (Come on, be brave! / You can do it!)

Are there other ways to say 'let's go' in French?

Are there other ways to say ‘let's go’ in French?

Our list has covered the most common and versatile ways to say ‘let's go’ in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, and you'll encounter many other expressions, from informal slang to more formal or regional variations.

To explore further, you can always do an online search for phrases like ‘autres façons de dire allons-y’ or ‘expressions pour commencer’ in French, adding a specific Francophone country or region if you're interested in local usage.

As with any new vocabulary, when you discover new expressions for ‘let's go,’ make sure to check their definitions and observe how native speakers use them in context before integrating them into your own speech.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different, creative, and sometimes very specific ways people express the idea of moving forward or starting an activity.

For deeper dives into verbs like aller and related expressions, or to explore more idiomatic ways to encourage action, the WordReference entry for aller or even y aller can be an excellent starting point.

I hope this article has helped you confidently say ‘let's go’ in French! To conclude, here’s a thought from André Gide that perfectly captures the spirit of moving forward: On ne découvre de nouvelles terres qu'en consentant à perdre de vue tout rivage. (One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore.)