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