Dépêche-toi! is probably the most direct way to say "hurry up" in French, and you'll hear it often. But what if you want to express urgency with a different nuance, or simply sound more natural and varied? Just like in English, French offers a rich palette of expressions to encourage someone to speed up, whether you're in a rush or just eager to get going. Let's explore 9 dynamic ways to say "hurry up" in French, helping you add a touch of authentic French to your conversations!

The standard 'hurry up' – dépêche-toi / dépêchez-vous

The standard 'hurry up' – dépêche-toi / dépêchez-vous

Dépêche-toi and dépêchez-vous are the most common and direct ways to say 'hurry up' in French.

These phrases come from the reflexive verb se dépêcher (to hurry oneself). The choice between dépêche-toi and dépêchez-vous depends on the level of formality and the number of people you are addressing. Think of it like the difference between 'you' singular informal and 'you' plural/formal in English, which French distinguishes with tu and vous:

Dépêche-toi: Used when speaking to one person informally, someone you would address with 'tu' (e.g., a friend, family member, child).
Dépêchez-vous: Used when speaking to multiple people (e.g., a group of friends, colleagues, children), or to one person formally, someone you would address with 'vous' (e.g., a stranger, an elder, a superior).

These imperative forms are widely used in everyday situations, from a parent telling a child to get ready, to a colleague urging a team to finish a task, or simply when time is running short.

While direct, the tone of dépêche-toi / dépêchez-vous can vary significantly. It can be a gentle reminder, a friendly nudge, or a more urgent and firm command, depending on the context and the speaker's intonation.

Grammatically, dépêche-toi and dépêchez-vous are imperative forms of se dépêcher. The reflexive pronoun moves after the verb and changes for the 'tu' form:

For tu, the regular imperative for -er verbs drops the -s (e.g., parler -> parle). So, dépêcher becomes dépêche. The reflexive pronoun te transforms into toi when it follows an affirmative imperative, hence dépêche-toi.
For vous, the imperative form is the same as the present tense 'vous' conjugation, so dépêcher becomes dépêchez. The reflexive pronoun vous remains vous after the verb, thus dépêchez-vous.

To illustrate, imagine these scenarios:

Talking to your child: «Dépêche-toi, mon chéri, on va être en retard à l'école!» (Hurry up, my dear, we're going to be late for school!)
Addressing a group of friends before a concert: «Dépêchez-vous, le spectacle commence dans cinq minutes!» (Hurry up, the show starts in five minutes!)
A boss to an employee (formal): «Dépêchez-vous, Monsieur Dubois, le rapport doit être prêt pour 10h.» (Hurry up, Mr. Dubois, the report must be ready by 10 AM.)

While se dépêcher is the primary verb, French offers several alternatives to convey similar urgency, though they might carry slightly different nuances:

Fais vite! / Faites vite!: Literally 'Do quickly!', this is a very common and direct alternative, also using the 'tu'/'vous' distinction.
Vite!: A simple, emphatic 'Quickly!', often used alone or at the beginning of a sentence to express immediate need.
Pressons-nous!: 'Let's hurry ourselves!', a collective imperative often used when you are part of the group needing to hurry.
Magnes-toi! / Magnez-vous!: A more colloquial or even slightly informal/slang way to say 'Hurry up!', similar to 'Get a move on!' or 'Shake a leg!'. Use with caution as it can sometimes be perceived as impolite depending on context.

In French culture, the directness of dépêche-toi is generally accepted in appropriate contexts (among friends, family, or when urgency is truly warranted). However, excessive or rude use can be perceived negatively. In more formal or professional settings, or when you want to soften the command, you might add s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît (please) or use a more polite construction like Pourriez-vous vous dépêcher, s'il vous plaît? (Could you please hurry up?).

Ultimately, dépêche-toi or dépêchez-vous are safe and widely understood options for asking someone to 'hurry up' in most common situations. Just remember to choose the correct 'tu' or 'vous' form based on your relationship with the person or people you are addressing.

💡 * Dépêche-toi, tu vas rater le bus! (Hurry up, you're going to miss the bus!)

Dépêchez-vous, nous avons un rendez-vous important. (Hurry up, we have an important appointment.)

Allez, dépêche-toi un peu! (Come on, hurry up a little!)

Si nous ne nous dépêchons pas, nous serons en retard. (If we don't hurry, we will be late.)

Il faut se dépêcher avant la fermeture des magasins. (We need to hurry before the stores close.)

The informal 'do it fast' – fais vite / faites vite

In French, when you want to tell someone to 'do it fast' or 'hurry up' in an informal and direct way, you'll often hear or use the phrases fais vite or faites vite.

Literally translating to 'do fast,' these expressions are imperative commands used to convey a sense of urgency. They are equivalent to 'hurry up,' 'get a move on,' or 'speed it up' in English.

The choice between fais vite and faites vite depends on who you're speaking to. Use fais vite when addressing one person informally (the 'tu' form). Opt for faites vite when speaking to multiple people or one person formally (the 'vous' form).

These phrases are frequently used in everyday situations, such as encouraging someone to get ready quickly, urging a friend to walk faster to catch a bus, or even playfully telling children to finish a task without delay. It's a common, practical expression.

While direct, fais vite and faites vite are not inherently rude, but rather convey a clear expectation of speed. For a slightly softer or more common way to say 'hurry up,' you might also hear dépêche-toi (informal singular) or dépêchez-vous (formal/plural).

Both fais and faites are conjugations of the verb faire (to do, to make) in the imperative mood, which is used for commands and instructions.

💡 *Dépêche-toi ! Fais vite, on va être en retard. (Hurry up! Do it fast, we're going to be late.)
*Les enfants, faites vite, le dîner est prêt ! (Kids, hurry up, dinner is ready!)
*Fais vite s'il te plaît, j'ai froid. (Do it fast please, I'm cold.)
*On doit partir dans cinq minutes, faites vite ! (We have to leave in five minutes, hurry up!)

The colloquial 'get a move on' – grouille-toi / grouillez-vous

When you want to tell someone to 'hurry up' or 'get a move on' in a very informal, even slightly impatient way, the French often use grouille-toi or grouillez-vous.

This expression is highly colloquial and should be reserved for informal settings with friends, family, or people you know well. It carries a sense of urgency and directness, similar to 'chop chop!' or 'get a wiggle on!' in English.

Like many imperative verbs in French, it has two main forms: grouille-toi for the singular 'you' (tu) and grouillez-vous for the plural or formal 'you' (vous).

The expression comes from the reflexive verb se grouiller, which literally means 'to stir' or 'to move quickly.' When used imperatively, it translates to 'get moving!' or 'stir yourself!'

You'll hear this when someone is running late, procrastinating, or needs to speed up an action. It's often used when there's a perceived lack of urgency from the other person.

While grouille-toi is very common colloquially, more standard ways to say 'hurry up' include dépêche-toi / dépêchez-vous (hurry yourself) or Fais vite ! / Faites vite ! (Do it fast!).

💡 *Grouille-toi, on va être en retard ! (Hurry up, we're going to be late!)
*Allez, grouillez-vous, le bus part dans deux minutes. (Come on, get a move on, the bus leaves in two minutes.)
*Si tu ne te grouilles pas, tu vas rater le début du film. (If you don't hurry up, you'll miss the beginning of the movie.)
*On attend depuis des heures, grouillez-vous ! (We've been waiting for hours, get a move on!)

The very informal 'get a wiggle on' – magnes-toi / magnez-vous

To tell someone to 'hurry up' or 'get a move on' in a very informal, even slangy way, French speakers use magnes-toi or magnez-vous.

This phrase translates roughly to 'get a wiggle on,' 'shake a leg,' or 'hurry up.' It's highly colloquial and implies a sense of urgency, often with a hint of impatience.

Like many French commands, there are two forms: magnes-toi is used with the informal 'tu' (singular, familiar), while magnez-vous is used with the formal 'vous' (singular, polite, or plural). Remember, both are very informal despite the vous form's grammatical structure.

It's crucial to understand that magnes-toi and magnez-vous are very informal and should only be used with close friends, family, or in very casual settings. Using it in a formal context would be considered rude or disrespectful.

💡 * Magnes-toi, on va être en retard ! (Hurry up, we're going to be late!)

Allez, magnez-vous, le bus arrive ! (Come on, get a move on, the bus is coming!)

Si tu te magnes pas, on manquera le début du film. (If you don't get a wiggle on, we'll miss the start of the movie.)

Magnez-vous les gars, il fait froid dehors ! (Get a move on, guys, it's cold outside!)

The direct 'quickly!' – Vite !

The direct 'quickly!' – Vite !

Vite is a versatile French adverb primarily meaning 'quickly,' 'fast,' or 'swiftly.'

Often, you'll hear vite ! used as a standalone exclamation to urge someone to hurry up, similar to 'Quick!' or 'Hurry!' in English.

It also functions as an adverb to modify verbs, indicating that an action is performed at a high speed. For example, 'Il court vite' (He runs fast).

Depending on the tone, vite can convey a sense of urgency, impatience, or simply efficiency. It's a very direct and common way to express speed.

Look out for common phrases like 'Fais vite !' (Hurry up! / Do it quickly!) or 'Va vite !' (Go quickly!).

💡 * Vite, on va être en retard ! (Quick, we're going to be late!)

Il faut finir ce travail vite. (We need to finish this work quickly.)

Cours vite ! (Run fast!)

Dépêche-toi, vite ! (Hurry up, quickly!)

Elle apprend vite. (She learns quickly.)

The slightly more formal 'without delay' – sans tarder

When you want to express the idea of doing something “without delay” or “promptly” in French, sans tarder is an excellent phrase to use. It's a slightly more formal or emphatic way to convey urgency than simply saying tout de suite (right away) or immédiatement (immediately).

This phrase is frequently used to stress that an action should be taken promptly or without hesitation. It implies a certain degree of importance or necessity for the action to happen quickly, often in professional or administrative contexts, but also in everyday life when a situation demands quick resolution.

Grammatically, sans tarder functions as an adverbial phrase. It can typically be placed after the verb it modifies or at the end of a sentence. The word tarder means 'to delay' or 'to be late,' so sans tarder literally translates to 'without delaying.'

While not overly formal, sans tarder carries a tone of efficiency and decisiveness. It's perfect for situations where you want to communicate that something needs to be done right away and with a sense of purpose, ensuring no time is wasted. It often appears in written instructions or formal requests.

💡 * Veuillez confirmer votre présence sans tarder. (Please confirm your presence without delay.)

Nous devons agir sans tarder pour résoudre ce problème. (We must act without delay to solve this problem.)

Elle a répondu à l'email sans tarder. (She replied to the email without delay.)

Le médecin m'a dit de prendre rendez-vous sans tarder. (The doctor told me to make an appointment without delay.)

The 'don't waste time' – ne traîne pas / ne traînez pas

The French imperative phrases ne traîne pas (informal) and ne traînez pas (formal/plural) both mean 'don't waste time,' 'don't dawdle,' or 'hurry up'.

These expressions come from the verb traîner (to drag, to loiter, to dawdle). Ne traîne pas uses the informal 'tu' form, while ne traînez pas is for the formal 'vous' (one person) or plural 'vous' (multiple people).

You'll hear this phrase when someone wants to encourage efficiency, prevent procrastination, or simply urge someone to move faster, often in a direct or slightly impatient tone.

💡 * Ne traîne pas, on va rater le bus! (Don't waste time, we're going to miss the bus!)

Mesdames et Messieurs, ne traînez pas, la visite commence dans cinq minutes. (Ladies and gentlemen, don't dawdle, the tour starts in five minutes.)

Allez, ne traîne pas avec tes devoirs, tu as d'autres choses à faire. (Come on, don't waste time with your homework, you have other things to do.)

Le professeur a dit aux élèves: 'Ne traînez pas, finissez votre travail !' (The teacher told the students: 'Don't waste time, finish your work!')

The 'at full speed' – à toute vitesse

The French phrase à toute vitesse literally translates to 'at all speed' but effectively means 'at full speed,' 'at top speed,' or 'very quickly.' It's an adverbial phrase used to describe an action performed with great haste or velocity.

This expression strongly emphasizes the speed of an action, often implying a sense of urgency, rush, or even recklessness. It's more emphatic than simply saying rapidement (quickly).

As an adverbial phrase, à toute vitesse is invariable and can modify verbs, describing how an action is performed. It's commonly used with verbs of movement.

💡 * Il a couru à toute vitesse pour attraper le bus. (He ran at full speed to catch the bus.)

La voiture roulait à toute vitesse sur l'autoroute. (The car was driving at full speed on the highway.)

Les enfants ont descendu la colline à toute vitesse. (The children went down the hill at full speed.)

Le projet doit être terminé à toute vitesse. (The project must be finished at top speed.)

The less common 'press yourself' – presse-toi / pressez-vous

Presse-toi (informal, singular) and pressez-vous (formal, plural) literally translate to 'press yourself' or 'hurry yourself.' These are reflexive imperative forms of the verb presser (to press).

Presse-toi is used when addressing one person informally (like tu), while pressez-vous is used when addressing one person formally or multiple people (vous). While understandable, these forms are less commonly used in everyday French to mean 'hurry up' compared to other expressions.

You might encounter presse-toi or pressez-vous in specific, often more formal or slightly older contexts where the idea of 'pressing' oneself forward or against a deadline is more literal. It implies a self-imposed or externally requested urgency.

In most casual or urgent situations, French speakers opt for alternatives. Phrases like Dépêche-toi ! / Dépêchez-vous ! (Hurry up!) or Fais vite ! / Faites vite ! (Be quick!) are far more prevalent and natural in contemporary French conversation than presse-toi / pressez-vous.

💡 * Presse-toi, nous allons rater le début du film !

Pressez-vous, mes amis, le dîner est servi.

Le professeur a dit : "Pressez-vous, le temps est compté."

Ne te presse pas, prends ton temps.

Are there other ways to say 'hurry up' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'hurry up' in French. However, the French language is rich with expressions, ranging from formal to very informal, and includes regional variations that can convey urgency in unique ways.

To discover more, you can do an online search for phrases like "autres expressions pour 'dépêche-toi'" or "synonymes de 'se dépêcher'" to explore additional options.

When you encounter new expressions for 'hurry up,' always make sure to check their specific definitions and observe how they are used in context. This will help you understand their nuances and appropriate usage.

Pay close attention as you read, watch, and listen to French media, or engage in conversations. You'll undoubtedly discover a variety of subtle and direct ways to express the need for speed.

For a comprehensive exploration of synonyms and related phrases, reliable online resources like WordReference.com or Larousse online dictionaries are excellent places to start your research.

I hope this article has helped you feel more confident in expressing urgency in French. Remember the words of Louis Pasteur: "Le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés." (Chance favors only the prepared mind.) So keep practicing and stay prepared!

9 ways to say "hurry up" in French