Learn French: Maintenant, tu déplaces le pion sur le plateau.

Maintenant, tu déplaces le pion sur le plateau.

Now, you move the pawn on the board.

Breakdown of Maintenant, tu déplaces le pion sur le plateau.

you (informal singular)

to move (change location of)

Questions & Answers about Maintenant, tu déplaces le pion sur le plateau.

Why is plateau used here for "board"? Doesn't it usually mean "tray"?

While plateau often translates to a physical tray (like a waiter's tray), in the context of games it means the game board. A board game is commonly called un jeu de plateau or un jeu de société.

Does pion only mean "pawn" like in chess?

Not exactly! While it is the word for a pawn in chess, pion is also the general French word for any small playing piece, counter, or token that you move around in a board game.

Why use the present tense tu déplaces instead of an imperative command like déplace?

Using the standard present tense with tu or vous is a very common way to explain the rules of a game or give a sequence of instructions in French. It sounds more like a helpful explanation of how things work rather than a direct, bossy command.