secouer
/sə.kwe/
The English phrase shake translates to French as secouer or agiter.
Meaning: transitive: to cause to move (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| secouer | /sə.kwe/ |
| agiter | /a.ʒi.te/ |
Both words mean to cause something to move. Related nouns include secousse, secouement and agitation for the act of shaking, while trille is used specifically for a trill in music.
Which one should you use?
Use agiter when shaking a liquid or a mixture, such as a bottle of medicine or a cocktail. Use secouer for more vigorous shaking, such as shaking a person, shaking a rug or shaking one's head.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of secouer is secoué. The past participle of agiter becomes agitée in its feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word secouer has two syllables and is pronounced /sə.kwe/.
Did you know?
- In French, the act of 'shaking hands' does not use secouer or agiter, but instead uses the verb serrer, which literally means 'to squeeze'.
- If a French speaker says someone is secoué, they might not mean they were physically shaken, but rather that they are emotionally shocked or devastated.
- The verb secouer shares a surprising historical root with the English word 'succor', meaning to assist or give aid.
Examples in context
- Agiter avant utilisation.Shake before using.This sentence uses agiter to give an instruction to shake a product.Tatoeba #457460 by sacredceltic, translation #29932 by CM
- En voyant cela, je ne pouvais que secouer la tête en signe de résignation.When I saw all that, I could only shake my head in silent resignation.This sentence uses secouer to describe shaking one's head.Tatoeba #4080922 by sbamsbamsbam, translation #4073400 by AlanF_US
- Lorsqu'ils lui ont offert la tirelire, la première chose que Laura a faite a été de mettre quelques pièces dedans et de la secouer pour qu'elle puisse entendre le tintement.When they gave her the piggy bank, the first thing Laura did was put in a couple of coins and shake it to hear it tinkle.This sentence uses secouer to describe shaking an object to hear coins inside.Tatoeba #9226399 by Micsmithel, translation #2504947 by MethodGT
- Je vous serre la mainI shake your hand
- On s'est serré la mainWe shook hands
- On s'est serré la main à la fin de la réunionWe shook hands at the end of the meeting
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are making a drink in the kitchen.
- EmmaTu dois secouer la bouteille de jus.You have to shake the juice bottle.
- GabrielJe le fais maintenant, Emma.I am doing it now, Emma.
- EmmaN'oublie pas de bien secouer le mélange.Don't forget to shake the mixture well.
- GabrielC'est fait, on peut servir.It's done, we can serve it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shake” translations and entries secouer, agiter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agiter, secouer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
