reculez

Reculez is a verb-form in French derived from reculer, meaning to move backward or to retreat. It appears as two distinct grammatical forms: the present tense form for the second person plural in the indicative mood (vous reculez), and the imperative form used to give a command to one or more people (Reculez !, meaning “Back up!”).

In usage, reculer describes physical movement backward, but it can also be used figuratively to indicate retreating from a position, a policy, or a stance. The present indicative vous reculez can describe a continuing action by multiple people, as in “Vous reculez de trois pas” (You are stepping back three steps), or in more general statements about a group. The imperative Reculez, often softened with please in speech as “Reculez, s’il vous plaît,” functions as a direct instruction or warning, common in safety guidelines, military or sports contexts, and everyday directions.

Related forms include the infinitive reculer, the present participle reculant, and the past participle reculé. The noun recule, derived from the same root, refers to the act of moving back or the sense of retreat, while other expressions such as “en reculant” describe doing something while retreating.

Reculez is widely understood in French-speaking contexts as a clear, direct instruction or description of backward movement. Its usage is straightforward in formal or plural address and is often found in manuals, guidelines, and narrative passages that involve movement or strategy.