French expression of the day: Grouille-toi
This sounds like something French frogs do, but it's really not.
Why do I need to know grouille-toi?
Because if someone shouts it at you, it's good not having to waste time finding out what it means.
What does it mean?
Grouiller has nothing to do with grenouille, which is French for 'frog'.
It's a word that can mean 'to swarm', 'mill about', or 'crowd', but it's mostly used to say 'get a move on'.
Grouille-toi - hurry up.
It's a bit colloquial and usually combined with the informal form of 'you', tu. The politer version would be grouillez-vous, but you wouldn't really say that. You could use dépêchez-vous, which means the same but is more polite, but generally you wouldn't tell someone to hurry if they are a person you address with vous.
Grouillez-vous however works well if you're shouting at your pals at the soccer field.
If you turn it around and say 'I'm hurrying', you need to add a me: je me grouille.
Likewise, 'you are hurrying' becomes tu te grouilles.
Use it like this
Grouille-toi ! On va être en retard. - Hurry up! We're going to be late.
Oui, je sais, ne t'inquiète pas, je me grouille. - Yes, I know, don't worry, I'm hurrying.
On se grouille ! - Let's hurry!
Synonyms
Dépêche-toi - hurry up
Magne-toi - hurry up
Bouge-toi - hurry up
Comments
See Also
Why do I need to know grouille-toi?
Because if someone shouts it at you, it's good not having to waste time finding out what it means.
What does it mean?
Grouiller has nothing to do with grenouille, which is French for 'frog'.
It's a word that can mean 'to swarm', 'mill about', or 'crowd', but it's mostly used to say 'get a move on'.
Grouille-toi - hurry up.
It's a bit colloquial and usually combined with the informal form of 'you', tu. The politer version would be grouillez-vous, but you wouldn't really say that. You could use dépêchez-vous, which means the same but is more polite, but generally you wouldn't tell someone to hurry if they are a person you address with vous.
Grouillez-vous however works well if you're shouting at your pals at the soccer field.
If you turn it around and say 'I'm hurrying', you need to add a me: je me grouille.
Likewise, 'you are hurrying' becomes tu te grouilles.
Use it like this
Grouille-toi ! On va être en retard. - Hurry up! We're going to be late.
Oui, je sais, ne t'inquiète pas, je me grouille. - Yes, I know, don't worry, I'm hurrying.
On se grouille ! - Let's hurry!
Synonyms
Dépêche-toi - hurry up
Magne-toi - hurry up
Bouge-toi - hurry up
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.