Inklingo

How to Say "to shift" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mover

moh-VEHR/moˈβeɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'mover' when you are intentionally changing the physical location of an object or person from one place to another.
A person wearing a blue shirt is pushing a large brown wooden box across a smooth floor, demonstrating physical displacement.

Examples

Necesitas mover el coche para dejar pasar al otro.

You need to move the car to let the other one pass.

Tienes que mover la mesa para que quepa.

You have to move the table so it fits.

Ella mueve la cabeza diciendo que no.

She shakes her head saying no.

¿Puedes mover la cuchara en la sopa, por favor?

Can you stir the spoon in the soup, please?

Stem-Changing Verb

This verb is irregular because the 'o' changes to 'ue' in the present tense (muevo, mueves, mueve, mueven). Remember that the 'we' (nosotros) and 'you all' (vosotros) forms are exceptions and keep the 'o' (movemos, movéis).

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Yo movo la caja.”

Correction: Yo muevo la caja. Remember the 'o' changes to 'ue' when the stress is on the verb stem.

moverse

moh-VEHR-seh/moˈβeɾse/

verbA1general
Use 'moverse' to describe an object or person making a slight, often involuntary or natural, movement, or moving oneself from one position to another.
A small red ball is depicted mid-air, having just rolled off a blue surface onto a green surface below, illustrating motion.

Examples

El agua se mueve lentamente por el río.

The water moves slowly down the river.

El bebé ya puede moverse solo por toda la casa.

The baby can already move by himself all over the house.

¡Muévete un poco! Estás bloqueando la vista.

Move a little! You're blocking the view.

Me moví para dejarle espacio en el sofá.

I shifted to make space for him on the sofa.

The 'Se' Makes It Reflexive

The 'se' at the end tells you that the person doing the action is also receiving the action. If you just use 'mover' (without the 'se'), you are moving an object (e.g., 'mover la silla' - to move the chair).

Stem Change in Present Tense

In the present tense, the 'o' inside the verb changes to 'ue' for most forms (muevo, mueves, mueve, mueven), but not for 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' (movemos, movéis).

Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: “Yo muevo a la fiesta.”

Correction: Yo me muevo a la fiesta. (Always use me/te/se/nos/os/se when you mean 'I move myself.')

Mover vs. Moverse

The most common mistake is using 'mover' when 'moverse' is needed, or vice versa. Remember, 'mover' implies an external force causing the shift, while 'moverse' often describes inherent or self-initiated movement.

Related Translations

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