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Why 'swim across' becomes 'traverser à la nage' in French

English describes movement in a particular way. The verb says how you move (swim, run, crawl, tiptoe), and a small particle says where you go (across, out, up, back). French usually does the opposite. The verb carries the direction: traverser (go across), sortir (go out), monter (go up), revenir (come back). The manner, if you mention it at all, comes afterwards in a phrase such as à la nage (by swimming) or en courant (running).

English speakers often trip here because the literal translation looks reasonable. They say il a nagé à travers la rivière or elle a couru dehors. These sound clumsy, and the second one can even mean something different. Once you start with the direction verb, the French sentence falls into place.

Word list
amenerA1 to bring amener qqn en voiture = drive sb over arriverA1 to arrive arriver en courant = come running partirA1 to leave partir en courant = run off sortirA1 to go out sortir en courant = run out venirA1 to come venir à pied = walk over; venir en courant = come running descendreA2 to go down descendre à pied = walk down entrerA2 to enter entrer sur la pointe des pieds = tiptoe in monterA2 to go up monter l'escalier en courant = run up the stairs quitterA2 to leave quitter la salle en courant = run out of the room rentrerA2 to go home rentrer à pied = walk home retournerA2 to return retourner à vélo = cycle back revenirA2 to return revenir en courant = run back s'en allerA2 to leave s'en aller à pied = walk away s'approcherB1 to approach s'approcher de qqch en rampant = crawl up to sth s'échapperB1 to escape s'échapper en rampant = crawl out to escape s'éloignerB1 to move away s'éloigner de qqch à la nage = swim away from sth fuirB2 to flee fuir à toute vitesse = run away at full speed s'enfuirB2 to flee s'enfuir en courant = run away traverserB2 to cross traverser à la nage = swim across
How it works

Build the sentence in two steps. First choose the verb that says where the movement goes. Then add the manner after it, if it matters. There are three common ways to express manner:

  • a gerund: en courant (running), en rampant (crawling), en sautant (jumping)
  • an à phrase: à la nage (swimming), à pied (on foot), à vélo (by bike), à toute vitesse (at full speed)
  • another fixed phrase, such as sur la pointe des pieds (on tiptoe)

English "he swam across the river" therefore becomes "he crossed the river by swimming".

Il a traversé la rivière à la nage.
(He swam across the river.)
Le chien est sorti de la maison en courant.
(The dog ran out of the house.)

Often French simply leaves out the manner. "We walked home" can be just on est rentrés, unless walking really is the point.

The words
Going in and out

Entrer, sortir and quitter describe crossing the boundary of a room or building. Partir and s'en aller mean leaving in general.

Il est entré sur la pointe des pieds pour ne pas réveiller le bébé.
(He tiptoed in so as not to wake the baby.)
Elle a quitté la salle en courant.
(She ran out of the room.)
Les enfants sont partis en courant dès qu'ils ont vu le gâteau.
(The children ran off as soon as they saw the cake.)
Il s'en est allé à pied, sans dire au revoir.
(He walked away without saying goodbye.)
Up, down and across

Monter, descendre and traverser carry the path in the verb itself.

J'ai monté l'escalier en courant.
(I ran up the stairs.)
On est descendus à pied jusqu'au village.
(We walked down to the village.)
Back, home and arriving

Revenir, retourner and rentrer all express going back. Arriver covers English "come running" or "come cycling".

Ce soir, je rentre à pied.
(I'm walking home tonight.)
Le petit est revenu en courant vers sa mère.
(The little boy ran back to his mother.)
Elle est arrivée en courant, toute essoufflée.
(She came running in, completely out of breath.)

Retourner works the same way: retourner à vélo means to cycle back.

Toward, away and escaping

S'approcher de and s'éloigner de describe distance. S'enfuir, fuir and s'échapper already contain the idea of running away, so they often need no manner phrase at all.

Le chat s'est approché de l'oiseau en rampant.
(The cat crawled up to the bird.)
Le phoque s'est éloigné du bateau à la nage.
(The seal swam away from the boat.)
Les voleurs se sont enfuis par la fenêtre.
(The thieves ran away through the window.)
Watch out

A French manner verb followed by a place usually describes movement inside that place, not movement into or out of it. Il a couru dans la maison means "he ran around in the house", not "he ran into the house". For the second meaning, say il est entré dans la maison en courant.

That said, French does allow manner verbs when the sentence names a goal and no boundary is crossed: courir jusqu'à la porte (run to the door), nager vers la plage (swim toward the beach). The direction verb becomes essential when you go in, out, up, down, across or back.

Most of these verbs take être in the passé composé. However, monter, descendre, sortir and rentrer switch to avoir when they have a direct object: j'ai monté l'escalier, but je suis monté.

Summary

When English says "verb of manner + direction word" (swim across, run out, walk home), start the French sentence with the verb of direction (traverser, sortir, rentrer). Then add the manner afterwards with en courant, à la nage, à pied or en rampant, or leave it out if it does not matter.