dépêchez

Dépêchez is the second-person plural imperative form of the French verb dépêcher, meaning to hasten, dispatch, or hurry. It is used to command or request that multiple people, or a formal singular addressee, move more quickly. In everyday speech the reflexive form dépêchez-vous is the standard way to tell someone to hurry: “Dépêchez-vous!” meaning “Hurry up!” The bare form dépêchez is less common in ordinary conversation and typically appears in written commands, instructions, or contexts where the vous form is understood but not repeated.

Etymology and related terms: Dépêcher belongs to a family of verbs dealing with speed and dispatch. It is closely related to expédier (to ship or expedite); the two share semantic overlap around making things move or be sent promptly. The imperative dépêchez is formed from the stem dépêch- plus the usual -ez ending for the vous-conjugated form. Its related imperatives include dépêche! (tu form, informal singular) and dépêchons! (let’s hurry).

Usage and nuance: Dépêchez is typically used in formal or plural-address situations, such as workplace instructions, announcements, or when addressing a group. The tone conveys urgency but can be polite if paired with s’il vous plaît or softened by dépêchez-vous. In negative or more courteous contexts, one might say Ne tardez pas, or Veuillez vous dépêcher.

Translations and senses: In English, dépêchez can translate as “hurry up,” “get a move on,” or “dispatch promptly” depending on context. Beyond the imperative, dépêcher also means to dispatch or expedite an action or shipment, as in dépêcher un colis (to dispatch a package) or dépêcher un messager (to send a messenger).

See also: dépêcher, expédier, dépêche (noun), dépêché.