filer

to leave, to slip away, to spin (thread, wool)

f i . l e
fil thread, string + er Infinitive
verb Common #5,790
to leave, to slip away Often used in spoken French to mean “to head off / take off” (sometimes a bit informal).
FR: Je dois filer, je suis en retard.
EN: I have to go, I'm late.
to spin (thread, wool)
FR: Elle aime filer la laine.
EN: She likes spinning wool.
Conjugation of filer
Indicative present
SingularPlural
First file filons
Second files filez
Third file
Subjunctive present
SingularPlural
First file
Second files
Third file
Imperative
SingularPlural
First filons
Second file filez
filer
Past
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Third filait

Ne m'en voulez pas, je suis obligée de filer.

Don’t be mad at me, I have to run.

— Les Choristes (2004)

Monte filer un coup de main.

Go up and lend a hand.

— Une bataille après l'autre (2025)

Il peut filer un faucon par temps couvert.

He can track a falcon in overcast weather.

— Princess Bride (1987)

Tu peux me filer un coup de main?

Can you give me a hand?

Comment vous les avez laissés filer?

How did you let them get away?

— The Shadow's Edge (2025)

Moi, je vais filer encore un peu de fric aux Coréens.

I'm going to give the Koreans a little more money.

— Do the Right Thing (1989)

On ne peut pas juste filer d'ici?

Can’t we just get out of here?

— Cours, Lola, cours (1998)

Maintenant, je dois filer.

Now I have to go.

— Voyage à Tokyo (1953)

Fallait le fusiller, ou lui filer une médaille.

He should’ve been shot, or given a medal.

— Apocalypse Now (1979)

Je dois filer, on va déjeuner avec un producteur de Broadway.

I have to run, we're going to lunch with a Broadway producer.

— Paddington 2 (2017)

Désolé, je dois filer.

Sorry, I have to go.

Je te laisse pas filer, je suis pas idiot!

I'm not letting you get away, I'm not stupid!

— Le Voleur de bicyclette (1948)

Pas question de vous filer ma mallette.

There's no way I'm handing over my briefcase.

— Chute libre (1993)

Ado, j'attendais que les copains rentrent chez eux pour filer ici.

Ado, I was waiting for my friends to go home so I could slip away here.

— La grande bellezza (2013)

C’est vous, les idiots, qui les avez laissés filer.

It's you idiots who let them get away.

— The Shadow's Edge (2025)

Maman, je dois filer.

Mom, I have to run.

— Aquarius (2016)

Si, et tu m'as laissé filer.

Yes, and you let me slip away.

— Mirage (2018)

Ils ont dû filer.

They must have taken off.

— La vie est belle (1997)

Faut pas la filer à Gastón.

Don't give it to Gastón.

— Le Cercle des neiges (2023)

Arrête de filer.

Stop running away.

Ne laisse pas filer cette occasion.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by.

Laisse filer.

Let it go.

Je vais filer.

I'm going to leave.

Fais-moi filer, tu sauras qui je vois et je vais.

Send me packing, you'll know who I'm seeing and where I'm going.

— Enquête sur un citoyen au-dessus de tout soupçon (1970)

Je vais te filer de la morphine.

I'll give you some morphine.

— En terrain miné (2014)

C'est le moment de filer discrètement.

It's time to slip away discreetly.

— Insaisissables 3 (2025)

En fait, vous ne vouliez pas laisser filer le beau gosse!

In fact, you didn't want to let the handsome guy get away!

— L'Empire contre-attaque (1980)

Sale cochon, n'en profite pas pour filer.

You filthy pig, don't use this as an excuse to run off.

— Porco Rosso (1992)

Tu devrais remonter dans ta belle auto et filer.

You should get back in your nice car and drive off.

On l'avait et on l'a laissé filer.

We had it and we let it go.

Tu pourrais me filer le reste de la dose?

Could you give me the rest of the dose?

— Douleur et gloire (2019)

Je dois filer.

I have to go.

— Do the Right Thing (1989)

T'as idée des infos que j'essaie de te filer?

Do you have any idea what information I'm trying to give you?

— Une bataille après l'autre (2025)

Attrapez le gros poisson, laissez filer le petit.

Catch the big fish, let the little one go.

— The Man From Nowhere (2010)

Tu l'as encore laissé filer, connasse?

You let him get away again, you bitch?

— Amours chiennes (2000)

Ils vont filer.

They're going to take off.

— Kin-dza-dza! (1986)

Je dois filer ou ils me trouveront.

I have to get out of here or they'll find me.

— La vie est belle (1997)

Est-ce que quelqu'un pourrait nous filer un coup de main?

Could someone give us a hand?

On doit filer.

We have to get going.

— Il était Temps (2013)

Si Tom a besoin d'un coup de main, nous pouvons lui en filer.

If Tom needs a hand, we can lend him one.

Même bien informés, vous avez laissé filer le suspect.

Even though you were well informed, you let the suspect go.

— The Man From Nowhere (2010)

Ne laisse pas filer les occasions.

Don’t let opportunities pass you by.

Francesco a pu filer.

Francesco managed to slip away.

— Rome, ville ouverte (1945)

Je peux te filer un conseil?

Can I give you some advice?

— Cold Storage (2026)

Je vais les occuper, profites-en pour filer.

I'll keep them busy, take the opportunity to slip away.

— Le Voyage de Chihiro (2001)

Ils sont en train de filer la laine.

They are spinning wool.

Je vais te filer un coup de main.

I'll give you a hand.

Sonia, je dois filer à l'aéroport.

Sonia, I have to rush to the airport.

— L'Accusé (2017)

Il est en train de filer, !

He's taking off right now!

— Dans ses yeux (2009)

Faut filer.

We have to go.

Ne laissons pas filer cette occasion.

Let's not let this opportunity slip away.

Donc, si vous n'avez plus de questions, je vais filer.

So, if you don't have any more questions, I'll be off.

— Wicked (2024)

Tu peux me filer ma paye?

Can you give me my pay?

— Do the Right Thing (1989)

Il m'a dit qu'il devait filer.

He told me he had to take off.

Suis-le et ne le laisse pas filer!

Follow him and don't let him get away!

— M le maudit (1931)

Je dois filer!

I’ve got to run!

Mais il a pu sortir par la fenêtre et filer par l'escalier de secours.

But he managed to get out through the window and escape down the fire escape.

— Mystic River (2003)

Dans la rue, elle pourrait me bousculer et filer.

In the street, she could bump into me and run off.

— La piel que habito (2011)

Je dois filer une minute aux toilettes.

I have to go to the bathroom for a minute.

C'est moi qui l'ai laissé filer, laisse béton!

I'm the one who let him get away—forget it!

— Amours chiennes (2000)

Tu vas vraiment nous filer les flingues?

Are you really going to give us the guns?

— La Cité de Dieu (2002)

Ok, je dois filer.

Okay, I have to run.

— Zootopie 2 (2025)

Je l'ai laissé filer.

I let him get away.

— Les Faussaires (2007)

On va filer sa petite amie.

We're going to tail his girlfriend.

— Night Watch (2004)

Tu comptais me filer?

Were you planning to give me away?

— The Shadow's Edge (2025)

Tu crois qu'il va te filer l'argent?

Do you think he's going to give you the money?

Veux-tu filer?

Do you want to leave?

— Henry V (1989)

Ils ont dû filer en laissant la bagnole.

They must have left, abandoning the car.

— Reconnu coupable (2026)

J'allais filer.

I was about to leave.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

L'un d'eux a pas pu filer avec les diamants?

Couldn't one of them get away with the diamonds?

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Sounds similar to