déménager
/de.me.na.ʒe/
The English phrase "relocating" is translated into French as déménager.
The term is used to describe the act of moving from one home or place of residence to another.
Which one should you use?
Use déménager specifically for moving one's house or residence. This differs from the verb bouger, which is used for general physical movement or shifting one's position.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used to mean moving one's residence, déménager is an intransitive verb and does not take a direct object. To say that someone "has moved", you can use the past participle déménagé to form the passé composé.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /de.me.na.ʒe/ and consists of 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- While déménager describes moving house, the word ménage is also used in the idiom faire le ménage to describe purging or firing people from a professional organization.
- The word déménager is built from the prefix dé- and the noun ménage, meaning it literally describes the process of 'undoing' or 'disassembling' a household.
- If you use déménager to describe a company relocating its corporate headquarters, it can sound too informal or domestic to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Je vais déménager à Paris le mois prochain.I am relocating to Paris next month.
- Suite à ma promotion professionnelle, je vais changer de domicile dans les prochaines semaines.Following my job promotion, I will be relocating in the upcoming weeks.
- C'est décidé, je pars vivre ailleurs pour me ressourcer auprès de la nature.That's it, I'm relocating to find solace in nature.
- Je déménage demain.I am moving tomorrow.
- Je dois déménager samedi prochain.I have to move next Saturday.
- Nous allons bientôt déménager à Lyon.We are moving to Lyon soon.
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting at a cafe about future plans.
- LucasTu vas déménager bientôt ?Are you moving soon?
- ChloéOui, je déménage le mois prochain.Yes, I am moving next month.
- LucasC'est une grande nouvelle, Chloé !That is big news, Chloé!
- ChloéMerci, je suis un peu stressée.Thanks, I am a little stressed.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry déménager, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries déménager, CC BY-SA 4.0.
