Reculer Examples, Sentences & Quiz in French

reculer — “to reverse” — is one of the verbs you will use every day in French. On this page you will find reculer in real sentences, grouped by meaning and tense, two short dialogues 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. A first sentence to fix the verb in your memory: “Je recule d’un pas prudent.” — “I step back cautiously.”

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

Example sentences with reculer

In the present tense

  • “Je recule d’un pas prudent tous les jours.” — “I step back cautiously.”
  • “Tu recules d’un pas prudent souvent.” — “You step back cautiously.”
  • “Il recule d’un pas prudent chaque matin.” — “He steps back cautiously.”
  • “Nous reculons d’un pas prudent le week-end.” — “We step back cautiously.”

In the passé composé

  • “J'ai reculé d’un pas prudent hier.” — “I have stepped back cautiously.”
  • “Tu as reculé d’un pas prudent ce matin.” — “You have stepped back cautiously.”
  • “Il a reculé d’un pas prudent la semaine dernière.” — “He has stepped back cautiously.”

In the imperfect and the future

  • “Je reculais d’un pas prudent quand j’étais jeune.” — “When I was young, I used to step back cautiously.”
  • “Nous reculions d’un pas prudent quand j’étais jeune.” — “We used to step back cautiously.”
  • “Tu reculeras d’un pas prudent demain.” — “You will step back cautiously tomorrow.”
  • “Ils reculeront d’un pas prudent demain.” — “They will step back cautiously tomorrow.”

In other tenses

  • “Je reculerais d’un pas prudent si je pouvais.” — “I would step back cautiously if I could.”
  • “Il faut que je recule d’un pas prudent.” — “It is important that I step back cautiously.”
  • “Recule d’un pas prudent !” — “Step back cautiously!” The same verb in the pluperfect: “J'avais reculé d’un pas prudent avant la fête.” — “I had stepped back cautiously before the party.”

All forms above come from the verified tables. The gerund is en reculant and the past participle is reculé; the perfect tenses use avoir + reculé, as in ai reculé.

Reculer in context

Dialogue 1: every day

Marie and Paul talk about what they do every day. Notice how reculer changes with the person, and how the passé composé appears when they talk about yesterday.

Marie: “Tu recules d’un pas prudent tous les jours ?” — “You step back cautiously.” Paul: “Je recule d’un pas prudent tous les jours.” — “I step back cautiously.” Marie: “Tu as reculé d’un pas prudent hier ?” — “You have stepped back cautiously.” Paul: “J'ai reculé d’un pas prudent hier.” — “I have stepped back cautiously.” Marie: “Nous reculerons d’un pas prudent demain ?” — “We will step back cautiously tomorrow.” Paul: “Nous reculerons d’un pas prudent demain.” — “We will step back cautiously tomorrow.”

Dialogue 2: making plans

Paul and Marie make plans for the weekend. The conditional appears for polite suggestions, and the imperative for a direct request.

Paul: “Je reculerais d’un pas prudent si je pouvais.” — “I would step back cautiously if I could.” Marie: “Tu recules d’un pas prudent souvent ?” — “You step back cautiously.” Paul: “Je recule d’un pas prudent souvent.” — “I step back cautiously.” Marie: “Recule d’un pas prudent !” — “Step back cautiously!” Paul: “Il faut que je recule d’un pas prudent.” — “It is important that I step back cautiously.” Marie: “Nous avons reculé d’un pas prudent hier.” — “We have stepped back cautiously.”

Read both dialogues aloud, changing the person each time: recule becomes recules, recules becomes recule, and so on. That is the fastest way to fix the six present forms — recule*, recules, recule, reculons, reculez, *reculent — in memory.

Common mistakes with reculer

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: “Je reculer d’un pas prudent.”

Right: “Je recule d’un pas prudent.”

The infinitive reculer never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form recule.

Mistake 2: Confusing reculer with avancer

Wrong: “Je recule lentement dans la file.” (meant as “avancer”)

Right: “Je recule d’un pas prudent.”

reculer means “to reverse” and avancer means “to advance”. They appear in similar situations, but they are different actions — check the meaning before you choose the verb.

Mistake 3: Using être for the passé composé

Wrong: “Je suis reculé d’un pas prudent.”

Right: “J'ai reculé d’un pas prudent.”

With reculer the passé composé is formed with avoir: ai reculé.

Mistake 4: Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: “Il faut que je recule d’un pas prudent.”

Right: “Il faut que je recule d’un pas prudent.”

After il faut que French needs the subjunctive: recule, not the indicative recule.

Mistake 5: Mixing up the persons

Wrong: “Tu recule d’un pas prudent.”

Right: “Tu recules d’un pas prudent.”

After tu you need recules, not the je form recule.

Quiz: reculer in everyday use

  1. What is the je form of reculer in the Present indicative?

    • A) recules
    • B) reculons
    • C) recule
    • D) reculez

  2. What is the ils/elles form of reculer in the Present indicative?

    • A) recule
    • B) reculent
    • C) recules
    • D) reculons

  3. What is the tu form of reculer in the Present perfect (passé composé)?

    • A) avons reculé
    • B) ai reculé
    • C) avez reculé
    • D) as reculé

  4. What is the nous form of reculer in the Imperfect?

    • A) reculions
    • B) reculais
    • C) reculaient
    • D) reculait

  5. What is the il/elle form of reculer in the Future?

    • A) reculerons
    • B) reculerez
    • C) reculera
    • D) reculerai

  6. What is the je form of reculer in the Conditional?

    • A) reculerait
    • B) reculeraient
    • C) reculerais
    • D) reculerions

  7. What is the tu form of reculer in the Present subjunctive?

    • A) reculions
    • B) recules
    • C) reculiez
    • D) reculent

  8. What is the tu form of reculer in the Imperative (affirmative)?

    • A) recule
    • B) reculez
    • C) reculons
    • D) reculais

  9. What is the past participle of reculer?

    • A) recule
    • B) en reculant
    • C) reculais
    • D) reculé

  10. What does reculer mean in English?

  • A) to reverse
  • B) to go
  • C) to be
  • D) to have

Answer key

  1. C) recule — the je form of reculer in the present indicative is recule.
  2. B) reculent — the ils/elles form of reculer in the present indicative is reculent.
  3. D) as reculé — the tu form of reculer in the present perfect (passé composé) is as reculé.
  4. A) reculions — the nous form of reculer in the imperfect is reculions.
  5. C) reculera — the il/elle form of reculer in the future is reculera.
  6. C) reculerais — the je form of reculer in the conditional is reculerais.
  7. B) recules — the tu form of reculer in the present subjunctive is recules.
  8. A) recule — the tu form of reculer in the imperative (affirmative) is recule.
  9. D) reculé — the past participle of reculer is reculé; perfect tenses use avoir + reculé.
  10. A) to reverse — reculer means “to reverse” in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does reculer mean in English?

reculer means “to reverse”. You use it in everyday situations like the examples on this page — for example, “Je recule d’un pas prudent.” (“I step back cautiously.”).

Which auxiliary does reculer take in the passé composé?

reculer takes avoir: ai reculé. Because the auxiliary is avoir, the participle normally stays invariable.

What is the hardest form of reculer to remember?

Most learners struggle with keeping the six persons apart — recule*, recules, recule, reculons, reculez, *reculent. Say them in order every day, and use the dialogues above to practise them in real sentences.

Where can I see the full conjugation of reculer?

On the full conjugation page for reculer, which has every tense, and on the reculer present page, which goes deep on one tense.

Say it yourself

Cover the French sentences above and translate the English back into French. Start with the present tense: “I step back cautiously.” should become “Je recule d’un pas prudent”. Then try the passé composé: “I have stepped back cautiously.” should become “J'ai reculé d’un pas prudent”. Finally, try the future: “I will step back cautiously tomorrow.” should become “Je reculerai d’un pas prudent”. If you get a form wrong, check it against the full conjugation page and say the correct form aloud three times before moving on.

Related pages