rouler

Rouler is a French verb with several related senses centered on the idea of turning or moving by rolling. The primary meanings are to move something by turning over or along a surface (to roll), and to drive or operate a vehicle (to go by car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.). The verb can also be used reflexively, as in se rouler, to roll oneself or to roll up, and it appears in many idiomatic expressions.

Etymology and forms. Rouler derives from Old French rouler, itself linked to Latin rotulus meaning a roll or scroll. In modern French, it is a regular -er verb. Common tense forms include: present je roule, tu roules, il roule, nous roulons, vous roulez, ils roulent; passé composé j'ai roulé; imperfect je roulais; future je roulerai; subjunctive présent que je roule; imperative roule, roulons, roulez.

Usage and senses. As a transitive verb, rouler can mean to roll a physical object: rouler un tapis (to roll up a rug), rouler une cigarette (to roll a cigarette). It is frequently used with names of vehicles to indicate motion by driving: la voiture roule vite, nous roulons jusqu’au littoral. In the reflexive form, se rouler can mean to roll oneself on the ground or to roll up something: se rouler dans l’herbe, se rouler un vêtement. The verb also appears in idioms such as se faire rouler (to be cheated) or rouler quelqu’un dans la farine (to swindle someone).

Related terms. Nouns derived from rouler include le roulage (the act of rolling or driving) and le rouleau (a roll, a spool). The term rouleur describes a person or device that rolls; in cycling, un rouleur denotes a rider capable of maintaining a steady high pace.

Notes. Rouler is widely used across contexts—from everyday driving and folding objects to idiomatic expressions—reflecting its core idea of rolling or moving by rotating.