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FRENCH VERB

reculer

to move back

  • #267 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: reculé
  • Present participle: reculant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I move back
  2. tu you move back
  3. il, elle, on he/she moves back
  4. nous we move back
  5. vous you move back
  6. ils, elles they move back

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I moved back
  2. tu you moved back
  3. il, elle, on he/she moved back
  4. nous we moved back
  5. vous you moved back
  6. ils, elles they moved back

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to move back
  2. tu you used to move back
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to move back
  4. nous we used to move back
  5. vous you used to move back
  6. ils, elles they used to move back

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will move back
  2. tu you will move back
  3. il, elle, on he/she will move back
  4. nous we will move back
  5. vous you will move back
  6. ils, elles they will move back

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would move back
  2. tu you would move back
  3. il, elle, on he/she would move back
  4. nous we would move back
  5. vous you would move back
  6. ils, elles they would move back

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I move back
  2. tu (that) you move back
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she move back
  4. nous (that) we move back
  5. vous (that) you move back
  6. ils, elles (that) they move back

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu move back!
  2. nous move back! (let’s)
  3. vous move back! (plural, or formal)

How to use reculer

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Je recule doucement, dis-moi quand je dois m'arrêter.

    I'm backing up slowly, tell me when to stop.

  2. Past

    Ils ont reculé la date du concert à juin.

    They pushed the concert date back to June.

  3. Imperfect

    Le chat reculait dès que le chien approchait.

    The cat backed away as soon as the dog came near.

  4. Future

    On reculera le canapé pour faire de la place.

    We'll move the sofa back to make room.

  5. Conditional

    Je reculerais la table, elle gêne le passage.

    I'd move the table back, it's in the way.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu recules, tu es trop près de l'écran.

    You need to move back, you're too close to the screen.

  7. Imperative

    Reculez, s'il vous plaît, laissez passer les secours.

    Step back, please, let the emergency services through.

Good to know

  • Reculer la voiture, une date; reculer devant quelque chose is to back away from it.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.