pousser

The French verb “pousser” means “to push,” “to move,” “to push aside,” “to let out,” or “to grow,” among a variety of different meanings. The green sign in the photo means “Push to open.”

To push:

“Pousser” mainly means to push or shove.

  • “Il faut pousser la porte pour entrer.” (Push the door to enter.)
  • “Elle pousse son ami à essayer quelque chose de nouveau.” (She encourages her friend to try something new.)

To grow:

  • “Les plantes poussent dans le jardin.” (Plants grow in the garden.)

Expressions and Idiomatic Usage:

  • “Pousser un cri de joie.” (Utter a cry of joy.)
  • “Il a poussé un coup de gueule contre l’injustice.” (He ranted against injustice.)

Etymology:

The French verb “pousser” traces its roots to the Latin term “pulsare,” signifying “to push.” This origin underscores the fundamental notion of exerting force for movement.

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

  • couler

    The French verb couler has a range of meanings, from the literal “to flow” or “to sink” to the figurative “to cast,” “to pass” (time), or “to go smoothly.” Meanings and Usage of Couler Conjugation of Couler in the Present and Passé Composé Tenses Present Tense Pronoun Conjugation Je coule Tu coules Il/Elle/On coule Nous…

  • toujours – always or still?

    The French adverb toujours is a deceptively simple word that learners encounter early in their studies. It is most often translated as “always,” but depending on context, it can also mean “still.” These two meanings are not interchangeable, and understanding when toujours means one or the other is essential for mastering everyday French. 1. Toujours…

  • past subjunctive

    The French past subjunctive is called le subjonctif passé. It is a compound tense used to express uncertainty, emotion, doubt, necessity or possibility about an action that has already been completed. Like the present subjunctive, the past subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses introduced by que. The past subjunctive is formed using the present subjunctive…

  • hypothetical situations

    In French, when expressing hypothetical situations about the present or future, we use the imperfect tense (imparfait) in the “si” clause and the present conditional (conditionnel présent) in the result clause. This structure is used when the condition is contrary to reality or unlikely in the present. The imperfect tense sets up the hypothetical situation,…