Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| bouger | /bu.ʒe/ |
| se mouvoir | |
| se déplacer |
Use bouger for general movement or shifting posture, and also colloquially to mean 'to get going' or 'to leave'. Use se déplacer specifically when referring to traveling or moving from one location to another. Use se mouvoir to describe the way something moves through space, often in a fluid or formal manner.
Which one should you use?
While all these terms involve movement, they differ in focus: bouger is general and can refer to small shifts in posture, whereas se déplacer specifically implies moving from point A to point B. se mouvoir is a more formal or literary option used to describe the manner of movement through space.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word bouger is pronounced /bu.ʒe/ and has two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use bouger to mean 'to move an object' (transitive). However, bouger is intransitive. If you want to say you are moving an object, you should use déplacer instead.
Did you know?
- The English word 'budge' is actually a loanword borrowed from the French bouger.
- The phrase ne plus bouger is often used to tell someone to 'stay put' or 'freeze'.
Examples in context
- Il te faut bouger.You've got to move.This sentence is useful for expressing a necessity to move with bouger.Tatoeba #5424295 by sacredceltic, translation #5422641 by CK
- Il nous faut bouger.We have to move.Tatoeba #1997925 by sacredceltic, translation #1893810 by CK
- Je ne peux pas bouger.I can't move.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to move with bouger.Tatoeba #14611 by Archibald, translation #280208 by CK
- Vous devriez bouger votre jambe blessée.You should move your injured leg.
- Les participants doivent se déplacer vers la salle de conférence.The participants need to move towards the conference room.
- Allez, bouge-toi !Come on, move!
- Arrête de me piquer, je ne peux pas remuer mon bras à cause du vaccin.Stop poking me, I can't move my arm because of the vaccine.
- Nous allons déménager à Montréal le mois prochain.We are going to move to Montreal next month.
- Je dois bouger cette table pour faire de la place.I need to move this table to make some space.
- J'adore regarder les danseurs se déplacer gracieusement sur scène.I love watching the dancers gracefully move on stage.
- J'ai décidé de déménager dans un autre pays pour de nouvelles opportunités.I've decided to move to another country for new opportunities.
- Elle a failli renverser le vase en bougeant maladroitement.She almost knocked over the vase while moving clumsily.
- J'encourage toujours mes amis à bouger davantage pour rester en forme.I always encourage my friends to move more to stay fit.
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan is sitting very still on a park bench.
- ManonNathan, tu ne bouges pas du tout ?Nathan, are you not moving at all?
- NathanNon, j'essaie de rester immobile.No, I am trying to stay still.
- ManonMais il faut bouger un peu pour se réveiller.But you must move a little to wake up.
- NathanJe vais bouger dans quelques minutes.I will move in a few minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “move” translations and entries bouger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bouger, déplacer, mouvoir, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
