remuer
/ʁə.mɥe/
To stir in French is remuer. Wiktionary also lists touiller.
Meaning: to disturb the contents of (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| remuer | /ʁə.mɥe/ |
| touiller | /tu.je/ |
The verb remuer is used to describe the physical act of stirring or moving something. It can also be used figuratively to mean stirring up emotions, memories or trouble. For example, the idiomatic expression remuer le couteau dans la plaie means to rub salt in the wound. If you want to express the idea of mixing or blending, you can also use the synonym brasser. The noun tumulte can be used to describe the agitation of thoughts or conflicting passions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
touiller is an informal, colloquial way to say stir, often used in a kitchen context.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
remuer is a regular '-er' verb in its infinitive form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁə.mɥe/
Did you know?
- The word remuer shares a root with muer, the term for a bird molting its feathers or a snake shedding its skin.
- While remuer is general, the verb brasser is the specific term used for stirring ingredients during the beer brewing process.
- The colloquial term touiller can be perceived as childish if used in a professional kitchen or a formal environment.
Examples in context
- N'oublie pas de remuer le ragoût.Don't forget to stir the stew.This sentence uses remuer to give an instruction about stirring food.Tatoeba #5364549 by Aiji, translation #2288932 by CK
- Je ne veux pas remuer de vieux souvenirs.I don't want to stir up old memories.This sentence uses remuer in a figurative sense regarding memories.Tatoeba #7644339 by tras, translation #7585618 by AlanF_US
- J'ai utilisé une louche pour remuer la soupe.I used a ladle to stir the soup.This sentence uses remuer to describe the action of stirring soup with a tool.Tatoeba #10335741 by lbdx, translation #8346013 by Cxom
- Il faut remuer la soupe pour qu'elle ne brûle pas.You should stir the soup to prevent it from burning.
- Remuez bien la sauce pour qu'elle soit homogène.Stir the sauce well to make it homogeneous.
- Tu peux mélanger les ingrédients de la salade?Can you stir the salad ingredients?
- Mélange bien le sucre avec le beurre fondu.Mix the sugar thoroughly with the melted butter.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are preparing a dessert together in the kitchen.
- ManonGabriel, peux-tu remuer la crème ?Gabriel, can you stir the cream?
- GabrielOui, je m'en occupe tout de suite.Yes, I'll take care of it right away.
- ManonIl faut remuer doucement pour ne pas faire de bulles.You have to stir gently so as not to make bubbles.
- GabrielC'est fait, c'est maintenant bien lisse.It's done, it is nice and smooth now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stir” translations and entries remuer, touiller, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries remuer, touiller, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
