diriger
/di.ʁi.ʒe/
To steer in French is diriger.
The verb diriger means to guide the course of something. While it can be used to describe steering a vehicle, it is more broadly used in French to mean 'to direct' or 'to manage', such as directing a company or a meeting.
Meaning: transitive: guide the course of (verb)
Which one should you use?
If you are referring specifically to the physical act of steering a vehicle like a plane, a ship or a complex machine, the verb piloter is often more precise than diriger.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative form of diriger is dirige (steers / guides), and its past participle is dirigé (steered / guided).
How do you pronounce it?
diriger is pronounced /di.ʁi.ʒe/ and consists of three syllables.
Did you know?
- The verb piloter is used for steering ships and planes, but in modern slang, it can describe someone who secretly manipulates or controls a situation from the shadows.
- While diriger translates to 'steer' or 'direct', French speakers typically say tenir le volant to describe the physical act of steering a car, which literally means 'to hold the steering wheel'.
- The word diriger is inherited from the Latin dīrigere, which was originally used to mean 'to set straight'.
Examples in context
- Il sait bien diriger le bateau.He knows how to steer the boat.This sentence shows how to use diriger in the context of steering a boat.
- Ils ont réussi à faire avancer le projet rapidementThey managed to steer the project forward swiftly
- Je suis en train de diriger le projetI am steering/leading the project
- Elle a réussi à me guider vers la bonne directionShe managed to steer/guide me in the right direction
- tenir le gouvernailTo hold the tiller
- Elle doit diriger le véhicule avec prudence.She must steer the vehicle with care.
- Qui va diriger le navire ce soir ?Who is going to steer the ship tonight?
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are in a small boat on a lake.
- GabrielEmma, peux-tu diriger le bateau ?Emma, can you steer the boat?
- EmmaOui, je m'en occupe.Yes, I'll take care of it.
- GabrielDirige-le vers la rive, s'il te plaît.Steer it toward the shore, please.
- EmmaC'est fait, on arrive.Done, we are arriving.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry diriger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries diriger, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
