Bouger Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

bouger — to move — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. It is a non-reflexive, irregular, -ger (e-insertion) spelling change -er verb, and it comes up in conversation, at work and at home. On this page you will find bouger in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short texts that show it in context, the mistakes learners actually make with it, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then test yourself. The full conjugation tables are on the bouger conjugation page, and the deep dive into its most practised tense is on the bouger present tense page.

Example sentences with bouger

In the present tense

  • “Je bouge la table tous les jours.” — “I move the table every day.”
  • “Tu bouges la table à la maison.” — “You move the table at home.”
  • “Il bouge la table ce matin.” — “He moves the table this morning.”
  • “Nous bougeons la table avec Paul.” — “We move the table with Paul.”
  • “Vous bougez la table.” — “You move the table.”
  • “Ils bougent la table tous les jours.” — “They move the table every day.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai bougé la table hier.” — “I have moved the table yesterday.”
  • “Tu as bougé la table la semaine dernière.” — “You have moved the table last week.”
  • “Il a bougé la table ce matin.” — “He has moved the table this morning.”
  • “Nous avons bougé la table avant la fête.” — “We have moved the table before the party.”
  • “Vous avez bougé la table.” — “You have moved the table.”
  • “Ils ont bougé la table hier.” — “They have moved the table yesterday.”

In other tenses

The same verb in the imperfect, the future, the conditional, the present subjunctive and the imperative — the tenses that complete the picture. All forms come from the verified tables.

  • “Je bougeais la table à la maison.” — “I used to move the table at home.”
  • “Tu bougeras la table bientôt.” — “You will move the table soon.”
  • “Il bougerait la table avec Paul.” — “He would move the table with Paul.”
  • “Il est important que nous bougeions la table tous les jours.” — “It is important that We move the table every day.”
  • “Bouge la table !” — “Move the table!”

Bouger in context

Je bouge la table tous les jours. Tu bouges la table à la maison. Il bouge la table ce matin. Nous bougeons la table avec Paul. C’est une partie normale de la routine, et c’est pour cela que le présent de bouger est la première forme qu’il convient d’apprendre. Chaque phrase utilise une personne différente, alors lisez-les à voix haute et remarquez comment la forme change — bouge, bouges, bouge, bougeons — tandis que le sens reste le même : to move. J'ai bougé la table hier. Tu as bougé la table la semaine dernière. Il a bougé la table ce matin. Nous avons bougé la table avant la fête. C’était une journée normale, mais c’est justement dans des journées comme celle-ci que le passé composé de bouger apparaît sans cesse : une action terminée, un moment précis, et l’histoire continue. Comparez ces phrases avec celles du présent ci-dessus : le verbe change de temps, mais le sens de base — to move — ne change pas. C’est la différence entre une habitude et un événement terminé.

Common mistakes

1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

✗ Wrong: “Je bouger la table.”

✓ Right: “Je bouge la table tous les jours.”

The infinitive bouger never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form bouge.

2. Using the wrong person

✗ Wrong: “Je bouges la table.”

✓ Right: “Je bouge la table tous les jours.”

bouges is the tu form, not the je form. The je form is bouge — check the person before you write the form.

3. Using the present for a finished past action

✗ Wrong: “Je bouge la table hier.”

✓ Right: “J'ai bougé la table hier.”

Hier points to the past, so use the present perfect ai bougé here, not the present bouge.

4. Mixing up the stem in the stressed forms

✗ Wrong: “Je bougeons la table.”

✓ Right: “Je bouge la table tous les jours.”

bouger is a -ger verb: an e is inserted after g before a and o, so the g stays soft — je bouge, nous bougeons. Before e and i no e is inserted. The change is spelling only.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on bouger across the tenses. Answers with explanations follow each question.

  1. What is the tu form of bouger in the Present indicative?

    • A) bougeons
    • B) bouges
    • C) avais bougé
    • D) bougeras

  2. What is the je form of bouger in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) avais bougé
    • B) avons bougé
    • C) bougeais
    • D) ai bougé

  3. What is the il/elle form of bouger in the Imperfect?

    • A) bougeât
    • B) bougerait
    • C) bougeait
    • D) bougeaient

  4. What is the nous form of bouger in the Future?

    • A) bougerons
    • B) bougerai
    • C) bougeront
    • D) bougeions

  5. What is the tu form of bouger in the Conditional?

    • A) avais bougé
    • B) as bougé
    • C) bougerais
    • D) auras bougé

  6. What is the je form of bouger in the Passé simple?

    • A) avais bougé
    • B) bougeai
    • C) bougeas
    • D) bougea

  7. What is the nous form of bouger in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) bougeons
    • B) bougeiez
    • C) bougeions
    • D) aurons bougé

  8. What is the gerund of bouger?

    • A) assistant
    • B) comparant
    • C) en bougeant
    • D) réparant

  9. What is the past participle of bouger?

    • A) arrangé
    • B) bougé
    • C) cessé
    • D) contrôlé

  10. What does bouger mean in English?

  • A) remove
  • B) notice
  • C) repair
  • D) move

Answer key

  1. B) bouges — the tu form of bouger in the present indicative is bouges. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  2. D) ai bougé — the je form of bouger in the present perfect (passé composé) is ai bougé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  3. C) bougeait — the il/elle form of bouger in the imperfect is bougeait. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  4. A) bougerons — the nous form of bouger in the future is bougerons. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  5. C) bougerais — the tu form of bouger in the conditional is bougerais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  6. B) bougeai — the je form of bouger in the passé simple is bougeai. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  7. C) bougeions — the nous form of bouger in the present subjunctive is bougeions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
  8. C) en bougeant — the gerund of bouger is en bougeant; it is used with en for actions happening at the same time as the main verb. The other options are the present participles of neighbouring verbs.
  9. B) bougé — the past participle of bouger is bougé; perfect tenses use avoir + bougé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
  10. D) move — bouger means “to move” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.

Frequently asked questions

What does bouger mean in English?

bouger means “to move”. You use it whenever you talk about to move in French, in the present, the past and the future.

Is bouger regular or irregular?

bouger is irregular. bouger is a -ger verb: an e is inserted after g before a and o, so the g stays soft — je bouge, nous bougeons. Before e and i no e is inserted. The change is spelling only.

What are the gerund and past participle of bouger?

The gerund is en bougeant and the past participle is bougé. The perfect tenses use avoir + bougé.

Where can I see the full conjugation of bouger?

On the bouger conjugation page — every tense, every person, with tables. The bouger present tense page goes deeper into its most practised tense.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for bouger, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

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