Reculer Verb Conjugation, Meaning & Useful Tenses (With English Translations)
Meaning: to step back / to move back / to retreat
Type: Regular – ER verb
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Uses: physical movement backward, figurative retreat
Présent (Present Tense)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | recule | I step back / I’m stepping back |
| tu | recules | you step back / you’re stepping back |
| il/elle/on | recule | he/she/one steps back / is stepping back |
| nous | reculons | we step back / we are stepping back |
| vous | reculez | you step back / you are stepping back |
| ils/elles | reculent | they step back / they are stepping back |
Passé Composé (Past – Completed Actions)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | ai reculé | I stepped back |
| tu | as reculé | you stepped back |
| il/elle/on | a reculé | he/she/one stepped back |
| nous | avons reculé | we stepped back |
| vous | avez reculé | you stepped back |
| ils/elles | ont reculé | they stepped back |
Imparfait (Past – Ongoing / Used To)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | reculais | I used to step back / I was stepping back |
| tu | reculais | you used to step back / you were stepping back |
| il/elle/on | reculait | he/she/one used to step back / was stepping back |
| nous | reculions | we used to step back / were stepping back |
| vous | reculiez | you used to step back / were stepping back |
| ils/elles | reculaient | they used to step back / were stepping back |
Passé Récent (Recent Past – “Just did…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | viens de reculer | I just stepped back |
| tu | viens de reculer | you just stepped back |
| il/elle/on | vient de reculer | he/she/one just stepped back |
| nous | venons de reculer | we just stepped back |
| vous | venez de reculer | you just stepped back |
| ils/elles | viennent de reculer | they just stepped back |
Futur Proche (Near Future – “Going to…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais reculer | I’m going to step back |
| tu | vas reculer | you’re going to step back |
| il/elle/on | va reculer | he/she/one is going to step back |
| nous | allons reculer | we’re going to step back |
| vous | allez reculer | you’re going to step back |
| ils/elles | vont reculer | they’re going to step back |
Futur Simple (“Will…”)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | reculerai | I will step back |
| tu | reculeras | you will step back |
| il/elle/on | reculera | he/she/one will step back |
| nous | reculerons | we will step back |
| vous | reculerez | you will step back |
| ils/elles | reculeront | they will step back |
Conditionnel Présent (Would…)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | reculerais | I would step back |
| tu | reculerais | you would step back |
| il/elle/on | reculerait | he/she/one would step back |
| nous | reculerions | we would step back |
| vous | reculeriez | you would step back |
| ils/elles | reculeraient | they would step back |
Subjonctif Présent (after expressions of emotion, doubt, necessity, …)
| Subject | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| que je | recule | that I step back |
| que tu | recules | that you step back |
| qu’il/elle/on | recule | that he/she/one step back |
| que nous | reculions | that we step back |
| que vous | reculiez | that you step back |
| qu’ils/elles | reculent | that they step back |
Impératif Présent (Commands)
| Form | French form | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| tu | recule | step back! |
| nous | reculons | let’s step back! |
| vous | reculez | step back! (plural / formal) |
Participes
| Form | French | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Participe présent | reculant | stepping back |
| Participe passé | reculé | stepped back |
Gérondif
| Form | French | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| en reculant | en reculant | while stepping back |
