déranger

ByFast French

The French verb déranger means to disturb, to bother, or to disrupt. It is a regular -er verb, conjugated like manger. Its uses cover a range of everyday contexts, from interrupting someone to creating disorder in a physical space.

1. To disturb or interrupt someone

This is the most frequent meaning of déranger. It is often used in polite or formal language, especially in the negative form when asking for permission.

  • Excusez-moi de vous déranger.
    Sorry to bother you.
  • Je ne veux pas te déranger pendant que tu travailles.
    I don’t want to disturb you while you’re working.
  • Est-ce que je vous dérange ?
    Am I disturbing you?
  • Tu peux m’appeler quand tu veux, ça ne me dérange pas.
    You can call me whenever you want, I don’t mind.

2. To annoy or bother someone emotionally

Déranger can also refer to making someone uncomfortable, irritated, or upset.

  • Ce bruit me dérange énormément.
    This noise really bothers me.
  • Ça ne le dérange pas qu’on critique son travail.
    He doesn’t mind people criticising his work.
  • Il est dérangé par les remarques de ses collègues.
    He is bothered by his colleagues’ remarks.

This use often overlaps with gêner, which also means to bother or embarrass, but déranger implies more disturbance or annoyance.

3. To disrupt order or arrangement

Déranger can refer to physically displacing or disorganising things. In this sense, it means to mess up or to put in disorder.

  • Ne dérange pas tout dans ma chambre.
    Don’t mess everything up in my room.
  • Tu as dérangé tous mes papiers.
    You’ve disturbed all my papers.
  • Les enfants ont dérangé tous les coussins du canapé.
    The children messed up all the cushions on the sofa.

4. To trouble or inconvenience someone

Déranger can express that something causes someone extra effort or trouble. It is commonly used in service contexts or polite conversation.

  • Je ne veux pas vous déranger pour si peu.
    I don’t want to trouble you over something so small.
  • Ne te dérange pas, je vais me débrouiller.
    Don’t trouble yourself, I’ll manage.
  • Merci de vous être dérangé pour moi.
    Thank you for going to the trouble for me.

This use often overlaps with the idea of making someone go out of their way.

5. Reflexive form: se déranger

The reflexive form se déranger can mean to make the effort to come or do something, or more literally to inconvenience oneself.

  • Il ne s’est même pas dérangé pour m’aider.
    He didn’t even bother to help me.
  • Je me suis dérangé juste pour te voir.
    I made the effort just to see you.

It may also mean to get up or to move in very informal speech.

  • Il ne se dérange jamais du canapé.
    He never moves from the couch.

6. Informal: to be mentally disturbed

In colloquial or sarcastic use, dérangé can describe someone as unbalanced or a bit mad.

  • Il est complètement dérangé.
    He’s completely nuts.
  • Faut être dérangé pour faire ça.
    You’d have to be disturbed to do that.

This is an informal and potentially offensive use depending on the context.

Summary

  • Déranger means to disturb, bother, disrupt, or inconvenience.
  • It is used with people (emotionally or physically) and with objects (order or arrangement).
  • It can be reflexive: se déranger means to make the effort or move oneself.
  • In informal speech, it can imply someone is mentally unstable or eccentric.
  • It is widely used in both spoken and written French, especially in polite expressions.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • inouï

    ByFast French

    Inouï is a French adjective meaning “extraordinary,” “unheard of,” or “unbelievable.” It expresses strong amazement, usually positive but sometimes negative. It applies to events, experiences, abilities, behaviours, and situations that exceed normal expectations. The word is common in both spoken and written French, including journalism, literature, and everyday conversation. Meaning Literally, inouï means “unheard of,”…

  • ne explétif vs ne littéraire

    ByFast French

    French learners often encounter the particle ne used in contexts where it does not indicate negation. This usage can be confusing, as it diverges from the more familiar negation structure ne…pas. Two forms of this non-negative ne are worth distinguishing: the ne explétif and the ne littéraire. Though both are considered stylistic or optional in…

  • cours vs corps

    ByFast French

    One of the classic pronunciation pitfalls for French learners is the word “cours” (as in un cours de français)—which is often confused with “corps” (as in le corps humain). Although these words are spelled similarly, they sound quite different in French. 1. The Basics: What Do These Words Mean? 2. Pronunciation Breakdown “Cours” [kuʁ] ✅…

  • boire

    ByFast French

    The French Verb “Boire” The verb “boire” is a common and essential French verb that means “to drink.” It is irregular and is part of the third group of French verbs, requiring extra attention to its conjugations. In addition to its literal meaning, boire is also used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. Meanings of…

  • waiting for the penny to drop

    ByFast French

    Not all English idiomatic expressions have a direct French translation. It is a common mistake to translate an English expression directly into French. This can cause confusion for the listener, leading to total bafflement or misunderstanding. The English idiom “waiting for the penny to drop” describes the moment when someone finally understands something that wasn’t…

  • sentir vs se sentir

    ByFast French

    What is the difference between the French verbs “sentir” and “se sentir”? They both mean “to feel” in English, although “sentir” can also mean “to smell.” So how are they different from each other and how should each one be used? In short, “sentir” is for physical sensations like smell or touch, while “se sentir”…