Learning French means learning verbs, and "to move" is a verb you'll encounter often. But did you know there isn't just one way to say it in French? Depending on the context – whether you're moving house, moving an object, or moving emotionally – different verbs are used.

As you navigate the nuances of the French language, understanding these distinctions will greatly enhance your fluency and comprehension.

Let's explore 9 common and useful ways to say "to move" in French, so you can express yourself with precision!

The general 'to move' or 'to budge' – bouger

The general 'to move' or 'to budge' – bouger

Bouger is the most common and versatile French verb for ‘to move’ or ‘to budge’.

As a regular -er verb, bouger follows standard conjugation patterns. Note the spelling change for the 'nous' form (nous bougeons) to maintain the 'g' sound.

You'll use bouger to describe physical movement, whether it's a person moving their body, an object being shifted, or something changing its position.

It often implies a slight movement or a change in position, similar to 'to budge' or 'to stir'. For instance, if something is stuck, you might say it 'doesn't budge'.

Bouger can also be used in a more figurative sense, meaning to 'get going', 'make a move', or 'take action', especially in informal contexts.

The reflexive form, se bouger, is a common informal expression meaning 'to get a move on', 'to hurry up', or 'to exert oneself'. It's often used as an imperative.

It's crucial to distinguish bouger from déménager, which specifically means 'to move house' or 'to relocate one's residence'. Bouger is about general movement, not changing homes.

Some common phrases include ne pas bouger (to not move/stay still), bouger le petit doigt (to lift a finger - often in negative contexts), and bouger les choses (to get things moving/make things happen).

💡 * Ne bouge pas ! (Don't move!)

• Je n'arrive pas à bouger cette armoire. (I can't manage to budge this wardrobe.)
• Il faut bouger un peu après un long voyage. (You need to move a bit after a long journey.)
• Allez, bouge-toi ! On va être en retard. (Come on, get a move on! We're going to be late.)
• Les enfants n'ont pas bougé de la journée. (The children haven't moved all day.)

The 'to move house' or 'to relocate' – déménager

The “to move house” or “to relocate” – déménager

When you need to express the idea of moving house or relocating in French, the verb you'll almost always use is déménager.

Most commonly, déménager is used intransitively, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. You simply move from one residence to another.

However, déménager can also be used transitively, though less frequently, to mean to move something out or to clear out a place. For instance, you might say déménager les meubles (to move the furniture).

An important point for learners: despite being a verb of movement, déménager typically conjugates with the auxiliary verb avoir in compound tenses, not être. For example, J'ai déménagé l'année dernière (I moved last year).

The act of moving itself is un déménagement (a move/relocation). The opposite action, to move in (to a new place), is expressed by emménager.

While déménager covers the broad concept of changing residence, remember emménager specifies arriving at a new place. Both are crucial for discussing housing changes in French.

💡 * Nous allons déménager le mois prochain. (We are moving next month.)

• Ils ont déménagé à Paris il y a cinq ans. (They moved to Paris five years ago.)
• J'ai aidé mon ami à déménager ses cartons. (I helped my friend move his boxes.)
• Le déménagement a été très fatigant. (The move was very tiring.)
• Quand as-tu emménagé dans ton nouvel appartement ? (When did you move into your new apartment?)

The 'to move from one place to another' or 'to get around' – se déplacer

The verb se déplacer literally means 'to move oneself,' and is commonly used to express 'to move from one place to another' or 'to get around.'

As indicated by the 'se,' se déplacer is a reflexive verb. This means the action of moving is performed by the subject upon itself.

It's a versatile verb for describing general movement, travel, or commuting, without necessarily specifying the mode of transport. It can apply to people, animals, or even objects.

Like many reflexive verbs, se déplacer conjugates with the auxiliary verb être in compound tenses (e.g., Passé Composé). For example, 'I moved' would be Je me suis déplacé(e).

While related to movement, se déplacer differs from verbs like bouger (to move a body part, or something slightly) or déménager (to move house). Se déplacer implies a journey or a change of location.

💡 * Il se déplace souvent pour son travail. (He often travels for his work.)

• Comment vous déplacez-vous en ville ? (How do you get around in the city?)
• Les animaux se déplacent pour trouver de la nourriture. (Animals move to find food.)
• Je me suis déplacé en train. (I moved/traveled by train.)
• Nous nous déplaçons à vélo quand il fait beau. (We get around by bike when the weather is nice.)

The 'to move a part of the body' or 'to stir' – remuer

The verb remuer in French primarily translates to “to move a part of the body” or “to stir/mix.” It conveys a sense of agitation or deliberate movement, often implying a less forceful or more localized action than bouger (to move).

When referring to the body, remuer describes actions like wiggling a finger, shaking one's head, or wagging a tail. It implies a specific, often repetitive, movement of a limb or body part rather than a complete change of position for the entire body.

Beyond physical body movements, remuer is commonly used in contexts of stirring or mixing, such as stirring a sauce, sugar in coffee, or mixing ingredients in a bowl. It’s essential for culinary instructions and describing fluid motions.

💡 *Il n'a pas remué le petit doigt. (He didn't lift a finger.)
*Remue bien la sauce pour qu'elle ne colle pas. (Stir the sauce well so it doesn't stick.)
*Le chien remue la queue quand il est content. (The dog wags its tail when it's happy.)
*Elle remue la tête de gauche à droite. (She shakes her head from left to right.)
*Tu dois remuer le sucre dans ton café. (You must stir the sugar in your coffee.)

The 'to move forward' or 'to advance' – avancer

The verb avancer is a fundamental French verb that primarily means 'to move forward' or 'to advance.' It's an essential term for discussing movement, progress, and even time.

At its most basic, avancer describes physical movement in a forward direction. You can use it to talk about a person, an animal, or an object moving from one point to another, specifically forward.

Beyond physical motion, avancer is widely used to express progress or development. This can apply to a project, a discussion, a career, or any situation where things are moving towards a goal or completion.

Avancer can be used both transitively (e.g., avancer un projet - to advance a project) and intransitively (e.g., il avance bien - he is progressing well). This flexibility allows it to describe both causing something to move forward and something moving forward on its own.

You'll often hear avancer in common expressions like avancer dans la vie (to get on in life/to make progress in life) or avancer l'heure (to move the clock forward). It can also mean 'to put forward' an idea or argument.

Avancer is a regular -er verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward. However, like all verbs ending in -cer, it undergoes a spelling change (c becomes ç) before 'a' or 'o' to maintain the soft 's' sound (e.g., nous avançons).

💡 * Le train avance rapidement. (The train is moving forward quickly.)

• Nous devons avancer sur ce dossier. (We must make progress on this file.)
• Elle a avancé une excellente idée lors de la réunion. (She put forward an excellent idea during the meeting.)
• Si tu n'avances pas, tu vas rater ton bus. (If you don't hurry up/move forward, you'll miss your bus.)
• Il faut avancer l'horloge d'une heure ce week-end. (We need to move the clock forward an hour this weekend.)

The 'to move backward' or 'to retreat' – reculer

The “to move backward” or “to retreat” – reculer

The French verb reculer primarily means “to move backward” or “to step back.” It describes a physical action of moving in reverse, often to create space, avoid an obstacle, or simply change position.

Beyond physical movement, reculer is frequently used metaphorically to mean “to retreat,” “to back down,” or “to give in” on a decision or a position. This applies to arguments, negotiations, or facing a challenge.

In a slightly different figurative sense, reculer can also mean “to postpone” or “to delay,” especially when referring to deadlines, appointments, or events. It implies pushing something further into the future.

Reculer is a versatile verb in French, encompassing both literal backward motion and various forms of metaphorical retreat or delay. Understanding its different contexts is key to mastering its use.

💡 * Il a reculé sa chaise pour se lever. (He moved his chair back to stand up.)

• Le gouvernement a dû reculer sur cette réforme. (The government had to back down on this reform.)
• On ne peut plus reculer l'échéance. (We can no longer postpone the deadline.)
• Face au danger, il n'a pas reculé. (Faced with danger, he did not retreat.)
• Ne reculez jamais devant l'adversité. (Never back down from adversity.)

The 'to move an object' or 'to shift' – déplacer

The verb déplacer in French primarily means 'to move an object' or 'to shift something from one place to another'.

Unlike verbs that imply self-movement, déplacer is a transitive verb, meaning it always takes a direct object. You déplacer something, not just move yourself.

It's frequently used for physical objects, like furniture or files, but can also refer to moving a meeting or even 'displacing' a person from their position or location.

💡 *Il faut déplacer la table pour faire de la place. (We need to move the table to make space.)
*Pourriez-vous déplacer ce dossier s'il vous plaît? (Could you move this file, please?)
*L'entreprise a décidé de déplacer son siège social. (The company decided to relocate its headquarters.)
*Le vent a déplacé les feuilles. (The wind shifted the leaves.)
*On a dû déplacer le rendez-vous à mardi prochain. (We had to move the appointment to next Tuesday.)

The 'to move emotionally' or 'to touch' – émouvoir

The verb émouvoir translates directly to 'to move emotionally' or 'to touch' in a profound sense. It signifies stirring deep feelings within someone.

Unlike the more general verb toucher (which can also mean 'to touch physically' or 'to affect slightly'), émouvoir specifically conveys a strong, often profound emotional impact, evoking feelings like tenderness, sadness, or admiration.

You will frequently encounter émouvoir in its pronominal form, s'émouvoir, meaning 'to be moved' or 'to become emotional'. It's also often used in the passive voice.

Émouvoir is an irregular verb, conjugated similarly to mouvoir (to move). Its past participle is ému(e), which is also commonly used as an adjective meaning 'moved' or 'touched'.

💡 *Son histoire m'a beaucoup ému. (His/Her story moved me deeply.)
*Elle s'est émue en voyant les retrouvailles. (She was moved seeing the reunion.)
*Ce film est très émouvant. (This film is very moving.)
*Les paroles de la chanson ont ému toute l'audience. (The lyrics of the song moved the entire audience.)
*Ne t'émeus pas pour si peu. (Don't get emotional over so little.)

1. The 'to make something move' or 'to set in motion' – faire bouger

The French expression faire bouger literally translates to 'to make move' or 'to cause to move'. It's a versatile phrase that can describe both physical displacement and figurative action, making it a powerful tool in conversation.

In its most direct sense, faire bouger refers to physically moving an object or a person. Think of it as actively causing something to change its position. For instance, moving furniture or getting someone to stand up.

Beyond the literal, faire bouger is widely used to mean 'to shake things up,' 'to get things going,' or 'to initiate change.' It implies taking action to overcome stagnation, improve a situation, or stir up activity. It's about 'making things happen' or 'making a difference'.

This phrase often appears in discussions about innovation, social change, or invigorating a team. When someone wants to challenge the status quo or inject new energy into a project, they might say "il faut faire bouger les choses" (we need to make things happen/shake things up). It highlights proactive engagement.

💡 * Il faut faire bouger ce meuble lourd. (We need to move this heavy piece of furniture.)

• Le nouveau manager veut faire bouger les lignes dans l'entreprise. (The new manager wants to shake things up in the company.)
• Ses idées ont fait bouger le débat. (His ideas got the debate moving/stirred up the debate.)
• C'est difficile de faire bouger les habitudes. (It's difficult to change habits/get habits to budge.)
• On doit faire bouger les choses pour que le projet avance. (We must make things happen for the project to move forward.)

Are there other ways to say 'to move' in French?

Are there other ways to say 'to move' in French?

Our article covers the most common French verbs for 'to move,' but the French language, like any other, is rich with nuances, regionalisms, and a variety of expressions for different types of movement.

If you're curious about specific regional expressions or very informal slang, you could try an online search for "comment dire se déplacer en ___" or "comment dire déménager en ___" followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

When you encounter new verbs for 'to move,' always check their definitions and observe how native speakers use them in context to ensure you understand their specific nuance, formality, and common usage.

As you immerse yourself in French media — books, films, podcasts — pay close attention to how speakers describe movement. You'll naturally pick up on different verbs and idiomatic expressions.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms and related terms for verbs like bouger, déménager, and se déplacer, the WordReference entries are an excellent starting point for further exploration.

I hope this article has helped clarify the various ways to express 'to move' in French. To conclude, here's a thought on the constant nature of change, often associated with movement, from Heraclitus: Rien n'est permanent, sauf le changement. (Nothing is permanent except change.)