voler

Voler is a common French verb with two main meanings. In one sense it means to fly, i.e., to move through the air, as birds, aircraft, or insects do. In the other sense, it means to steal, to take something without the owner’s permission. The noun vol exists as well and can refer to a flight (un vol) or, in a criminal sense, a theft (un vol). The two senses share a common root in movement through space.

Conjugation and usage: Voler is a regular -er verb. Present tense forms are: je vole, tu voles, il vole, nous volons, vous volez, ils volent. The past participle is volé, used with the auxiliary avoir in most tenses (par exemple, elle a volé son portefeuille). For the flight sense, the verb is often used intransitively: L’oiseau vole dans le ciel. For the theft sense, it is transitive and takes a direct object: Quelqu’un a volé mon portefeuille.

Notes: The meaning is usually clear from context and the presence or absence of a direct object. An idiom related to the flight sense is voler de ses propres ailes, meaning to become independent or to start on one’s own. The noun vol is versatile, referring to both air travel and theft (for example, un vol à main armée means armed robbery or a theft).