How to Say ‘Lean forward.’ in French
Penche-toi en avant.
pahnsh twah ahn ah-vahn
[pahnsh twah ahn ah-vahn]
💬 Usage Tip: "Penche-toi" is the informal command form of se pencher (to bend/lean). The "-toi" shows it's reflexive: literally "bend yourself." In yoga, teachers often use this short, direct style.
🇫🇷 In France: In French yoga classes, instructions are often calm and simple, much like in English: short imperatives, gentle tone, and lots of reminders to move safely.
Phrase Breakdown
Penche-toi
pahnsh twah
Lean yourself / Bend over
Reflexive imperative telling someone to lean their body.
Penche-toi en avant.
Lean forward.
Words in this phrase
Penche
[pahnsh]
bend
Imperative form of the verb meaning to bend or lean; here it gives a yoga instruction.
En yoga, Penche doucement le buste pour t'étirer.
In yoga, bend your torso gently to stretch.
toi
[twah]
yourself
Reflexive pronoun used with an imperative verb, meaning yourself.
Dans « penche-toi », toi montre que tu fais le mouvement toi-même.
In 'penche-toi,' toi shows that you do the movement yourself.
En avant
ahn ah-vahn
Forward
Indicates movement toward the front.
Va en avant.
Go forward.
Words in this phrase
en
[ahn]
forward / in
Preposition used in the expression en avant, meaning forward or ahead.
Dans l'expression en avant, en indique la direction du mouvement.
In the expression en avant, en indicates the direction of movement.
avant
[ah-vahn]
front / forward
Used in the phrase en avant to mean forward or toward the front.
Regarde vers l'avant quand le professeur dit avant.
Look toward the front when the teacher says forward.
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