moverse
“moverse” means “to move” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to move, to shift
Also: to get up
📝 In Action
El bebé ya puede moverse solo por toda la casa.
A2The baby can already move by himself all over the house.
¡Muévete un poco! Estás bloqueando la vista.
A1Move a little! You're blocking the view.
Me moví para dejarle espacio en el sofá.
A2I shifted to make space for him on the sofa.
to get a move on, to take action
Also: to get busy
📝 In Action
Si no te mueves ahora, vas a perder el tren.
B1If you don't get a move on now, you're going to miss the train.
Tenemos que movernos si queremos terminar el proyecto a tiempo.
B2We have to take action if we want to finish the project on time.
El jefe nos dijo que nos moviéramos con el nuevo plan.
B1The boss told us to get busy with the new plan.
to move in certain circles, to network
Also: to mix with
📝 In Action
Él se mueve muy bien en los círculos políticos de la capital.
C1He moves very well in the political circles of the capital (He networks well).
Si quieres ese trabajo, tienes que empezar a moverte en esa industria.
B2If you want that job, you have to start networking in that industry.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: moverse
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'moverse' in the figurative sense of 'taking action'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *movere*, meaning 'to move.' When the reflexive pronoun 'se' was added in Spanish, it emphasized that the subject was causing its own motion, leading to 'moverse.'
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'mover' and 'moverse'?
'Mover' is used when you move an object (e.g., 'I move the table'). 'Moverse' is used when you, the subject, are the one changing position (e.g., 'I move myself'). The '-se' tells you the action bounces back onto the person doing it.
Why does the 'o' change to 'ue' in the present tense?
'Moverse' is a stem-changing verb. This is a very common pattern in Spanish verbs ending in -er or -ir. The vowel in the middle of the verb changes form to sound stronger when stressed, but only in the 'boot' forms (yo, tú, él/ella, ellos/ellas).