Déplacer

Déplacer is a French verb that primarily means to move something from one place to another, to transfer or relocate, and more broadly to change the position of objects or people. It can also be used in figurative senses, such as shifting a plan, a boundary, or a debate.

In its transitive use, déplacer designates causing physical displacement of an object. It can refer to relocating furniture, transporting goods, or moving a person or animal from one location to another. The verb is also used in everyday contexts like moving a file on a computer or rearranging items in a space.

The reflexive form se déplacer means to move oneself or to travel from one place to another. This usage emphasizes the action of moving rather than moving an external object, as in se déplacer en ville or se déplacer sur la scène. Both transitive and pronominal uses are common in spoken and written French.

Conjugation and grammar: déplacer is a regular -er verb with the usual stem déplac- and a typical -er verb conjugation, with a pronunciation adjustment in the nous form: je déplace, tu déplaces, il déplace, nous déplaçons, vous déplacez, ils déplacent. The passé composé uses the auxiliary avoir and the past participle déplacé, e.g., J'ai déplacé le meuble. When the direct object precedes the verb, the past participle agrees in gender and number (Je l'ai déplacé/Je l'ai déplacée). In the reflexive form, se déplacer conjugates with être: je me déplace, tu te déplaces, il se déplace, nous nous déplaçons, vous vous déplacez, ils se déplacent; the past participle agrees when used with être: je me suis déplacé(e).

In computing and logistics, déplacer is frequently used to describe moving files, relocating data, or reordering items in a list or interface, such as déplacer un fichier or déplacer une ligne dans un tableau. Related terms include bouger, transporter, and changer de place, while rester and être immobile are common antonyms.