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verb

ramer

row

Faire avancer une barque ou un bateau en utilisant des rames dans l’eau.

Definition & meaning

Ramer is a French verb with several related meanings:

  1. To row or paddle
    To propel a boat through the water using oars or a paddle.

    • Ramer sur un lac — to row on a lake
    • Ramer contre le courant — to row against the current

  2. To struggle or have difficulty
    In informal French, ramer means to have trouble making progress, understanding something, or completing a task.

    • Je rame en mathématiques. — I am struggling with mathematics.
    • Il rame pour trouver une solution. — He is struggling to find a solution.

  3. To work hard with little progress
    It can describe a person, a project, or a computer system that is operating slowly or inefficiently.

    • Mon ordinateur rame. — My computer is running slowly.
    • Le projet rame. — The project is stagnating or making very slow progress.

Grammar & Word origin

Ramer is a regular first-group -er verb.

Present tense:

  • je rame — I row / struggle
  • tu rames — you row / struggle
  • il, elle rame — he, she rows / struggles
  • nous ramons — we row / struggle
  • vous ramez — you row / struggle
  • ils, elles rament — they row / struggle

It is generally used intransitively, without a direct object, especially in the figurative sense: ramer pour réussir — to struggle to succeed.

The verb comes from une rame , meaning “an oar” or “a paddle,” with the suffix -er, which forms verbs. The figurative meaning developed from the effort required to row, especially against resistance.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • pagayer — to paddle; more specifically refers to using a paddle, whereas ramer usually evokes oars.
  • avancer difficilement — to move forward with difficulty; emphasizes slow progress.
  • avoir du mal — to have difficulty; a common general expression, less vivid and less informal than ramer.
  • peiner — to struggle or labor; can sound more formal or literary.
  • galérer — to struggle or have a hard time; very informal and often stronger than ramer.

Antonyms

  • avancer facilement — to make progress easily.
  • réussir — to succeed; focuses on achieving the desired result.
  • progresser — to progress; neutral and not necessarily implying effort or difficulty.
  • glisser — to glide; an antonym in the literal boating context when movement is effortless.

Common phrases & collocations

  • ramer sur un bateau — to row a boat
  • ramer contre le courant — to row against the current; also used figuratively for working against difficulties
  • ramer pour comprendre — to struggle to understand
  • ramer pour réussir — to struggle to succeed
  • un ordinateur qui rame — a computer that runs slowly
  • ça rame — it is slow, it is not working efficiently, or progress is difficult

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Examples

Nous aimons ramer sur le lac.verb

We like to row on the lake.

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