Bouger Conjugation in French
bouger means “to move” in English, and it is one of the verbs French learners meet early — it sits at frequency rank 203 in VerbFlow’s French list. It is a non-reflexive, irregular, -ger (e-insertion) spelling change -er verb, and this page gives you its complete conjugation — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Je bouge la table tous les jours.” — “I move the table every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: bouger
- English: to move
- Verb type: Non-reflexive, Irregular, -ger (e-insertion) spelling change
- Irregular in: present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative
- Gerund: en bougeant
- Past participle: bougé
- Auxiliary: avoir (all perfect tenses are formed with avoir + the past participle)
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.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for bouger. Learn the present tense first, then the passé composé and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bouge |
| tu | bouges |
| il/elle | bouge |
| nous | bougeons |
| vous | bougez |
| ils/elles | bougent |
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bougeai |
| tu | bougeas |
| il/elle | bougea |
| nous | bougeâmes |
| vous | bougeâtes |
| ils/elles | bougèrent |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bougeais |
| tu | bougeais |
| il/elle | bougeait |
| nous | bougeions |
| vous | bougeiez |
| ils/elles | bougeaient |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bougerai |
| tu | bougeras |
| il/elle | bougera |
| nous | bougerons |
| vous | bougerez |
| ils/elles | bougeront |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bougerais |
| tu | bougerais |
| il/elle | bougerait |
| nous | bougerions |
| vous | bougeriez |
| ils/elles | bougeraient |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai bougé |
| tu | as bougé |
| il/elle | a bougé |
| nous | avons bougé |
| vous | avez bougé |
| ils/elles | ont bougé |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais bougé |
| tu | avais bougé |
| il/elle | avait bougé |
| nous | avions bougé |
| vous | aviez bougé |
| ils/elles | avaient bougé |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai bougé |
| tu | auras bougé |
| il/elle | aura bougé |
| nous | aurons bougé |
| vous | aurez bougé |
| ils/elles | auront bougé |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais bougé |
| tu | aurais bougé |
| il/elle | aurait bougé |
| nous | aurions bougé |
| vous | auriez bougé |
| ils/elles | auraient bougé |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bouge |
| tu | bouges |
| il/elle | bouge |
| nous | bougeions |
| vous | bougeiez |
| ils/elles | bougent |
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | bougeasse |
| tu | bougeasses |
| il/elle | bougeât |
| nous | bougeassions |
| vous | bougeassiez |
| ils/elles | bougeassent |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | bouge |
| nous | bougeons |
| vous | bougez |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | bouge |
| nous | bougeons |
| vous | bougez |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en bougeant |
| Past participle | bougé |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With bouger this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Je bouge la table tous les jours.” — “I move the table every day.”
Passé simple
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mainly in written and literary French. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu bougeas la table la semaine dernière.” — “You moved the table last week.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il bougeait la table ce matin.” — “He used to move the table this morning.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, and for predictions. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Nous bougerons la table.” — “We will move the table.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Vous bougeriez la table.” — “You would move the table.”
Present perfect
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Ils ont bougé la table hier.” — “They have moved the table yesterday.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “J'avais bougé la table hier.” — “I had moved the table yesterday.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Tu auras bougé la table la semaine prochaine.” — “You will have moved the table next week.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il aurait bougé la table ce matin.” — “He would have moved the table this morning.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With bouger this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Il est important que nous bougeions la table tous les jours.” — “It is important that We move the table every day.”
Imperfect subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for the past subjunctive: wishes and hypotheticals about the past, mostly in formal and literary French. With bouger this tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard -er pattern. For example: “Il fallait que vous bougeassiez la table hier.” — “It was necessary that You move the table yesterday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With bouger this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Bougez la table !” — “Move the table!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With bouger this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ne bouge pas la table !” — “Do not move the table!”
Gerund and past participle
The gerund en bougeant is used after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. For example: “En bougeant, je commence la journée.” — “While moving, I start the day.” The past participle bougé is used with avoir in the perfect tenses, as in j'ai bougé — “I have moved the table yesterday.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with bouger, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “Je bouge la table à la maison.” — “I move the table at home.”
- “Tu bougeas la table ce matin.” — “You moved the table this morning.”
- “Il bougeait la table avec Paul.” — “He used to move the table with Paul.”
- “Je bougerai la table demain.” — “I will move the table tomorrow.”
- “Tu bougerais la table tous les jours.” — “You would move the table every day.”
- “Il a bougé la table la semaine dernière.” — “He has moved the table last week.”
- “J'avais bougé la table ce matin.” — “I had moved the table this morning.”
- “Tu auras bougé la table demain.” — “You will have moved the table tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il bouge la table tous les jours.” — “It is important that He move the table every day.”
- “Bouge la table !” — “Move the table!”
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.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis bougé la table hier.”
✓ Right: “J'ai bougé la table hier.”
bouger takes avoir in the compound tenses, not être: ai bougé, never the être form.
6. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que nous bougeons la table.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que nous bougeions la table.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use bougeions here, not the indicative bougeons.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on bouger. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of bouger in the Present indicative?
- A) bougeons
- B) aurai bougé
- C) bouge
- D) bougeasse
What is the il/elle form of bouger in the Passé simple?
- A) bougerait
- B) bougeas
- C) avait bougé
- D) bougea
What is the nous form of bouger in the Imperfect?
- A) bougeais
- B) avons bougé
- C) bougeaient
- D) bougeions
What is the tu form of bouger in the Future?
- A) bouges
- B) bougerez
- C) bougeras
- D) bougeasses
What is the je form of bouger in the Conditional?
- A) bougeais
- B) bougerais
- C) avais bougé
- D) aurais bougé
What is the il/elle form of bouger in the Present subjunctive?
- A) bougeions
- B) aura bougé
- C) bougent
- D) bouge
What is the nous form of bouger in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) avons bougé
- B) bougerons
- C) avions bougé
- D) bougeions
What is the gerund of bouger?
- A) en bougeant
- B) convainquant
- C) attirant
- D) contrôlant
What is the past participle of bouger?
- A) bougé
- B) adopté
- C) assisté
- D) approché
What does bouger mean in English?
- A) announce
- B) control
- C) move
- D) wash
Answer key
- C) bouge — the je form of bouger in the present indicative is bouge. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) bougea — the il/elle form of bouger in the passé simple is bougea. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) bougeions — the nous form of bouger in the imperfect is bougeions. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- C) bougeras — the tu form of bouger in the future is bougeras. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- B) bougerais — the je form of bouger in the conditional is bougerais. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- D) bouge — the il/elle form of bouger in the present subjunctive is bouge. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- A) avons bougé — the nous form of bouger in the present perfect (passé composé) is avons bougé. The other options are forms of the same verb for different persons or tenses.
- A) 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.
- A) bougé — the past participle of bouger is bougé; perfect tenses use avoir + bougé. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- C) move — bouger means “to move” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
How to learn this verb
Learn bouger in three passes. First, say the present tense aloud in order — je bouge, tu bouges, il bouge, nous bougeons, vous bougez, ils bougent — three times, then write three sentences with the verb. Second, learn the passé composé with its auxiliary: ai bougé shows the pattern, and the participle bougé is the same in every perfect tense. Third, add one new tense a day, always in a sentence, and test yourself the next day before you learn the next one. A verb you can use in a sentence is learnt; a verb you can only recite is not. Use the Verb Quiz and the Verb Conjugator to check what has stuck, and compare bouger with the other verbs in this batch on the French verbs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does bouger mean in English?
bouger means “to move”. It is a non-reflexive, irregular, -ger (e-insertion) spelling change verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is bouger regular or irregular?
bouger is irregular, and it is irregular in these tenses: present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. 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 — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as the main verb. The past participle is bougé — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in j'ai bougé.
How do I say “I move” in French?
Say “Je bouge la table tous les jours.” — “I move the table every day.” The je form of the present is bouge, and it is the form you will use most often.
How do you pronounce bouger?
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.
Related pages
- bouger in the present tense
- bouger examples and quiz
- Briller conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- Éteindre conjugation — another French verb in this batch.
- French verbs — the full hub of French conjugation pages.
- French irregular verbs — every common irregular French verb, grouped by pattern.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- Imperfect Conjugator — practise bouger with the interactive tool.
- Verb Quiz — practise bouger with the interactive tool.
- Verb Ending Analyzer — practise bouger with the interactive tool.