Breakdown of Bitte bewegen Sie den Tisch nach links.
Sie
you (formal)
der Tisch
the table
nach
to / towards
bitte
please
links
left
bewegen
to move (physically)
Questions & Answers about Bitte bewegen Sie den Tisch nach links.
I thought bewegen was a strong verb with forms like bewog and bewogen. Why is it treated as regular here?
Bewegen actually has two meanings with different conjugations! When it means to physically move an object (like a table) or your body, it is a regular (weak) verb: bewegte, hat bewegt. It only acts as a strong verb (bewog, hat bewogen) when it means to "induce" or "prompt" someone to do something abstract.
When do I need to use the reflexive sich bewegen instead of just bewegen?
You use the reflexive sich bewegen when a person or thing is moving itself (e.g., Bitte bewegen Sie sich nicht = Please don't move). In this sentence, you are moving a separate physical object (den Tisch), so it acts as a normal verb taking a direct accusative object, with no reflexive pronoun needed.
Why is it nach links instead of zu links?
For basic directions like left (links), right (rechts), up (oben), and compass directions (Norden, Süden), German always uses nach to mean "to" or "toward." You generally use zu (like zum or zur) when going to specific locations, buildings, or people.
How could I use a colloquial 'r-' word from this lesson (like rüber) in this sentence?
You can easily add rüber to emphasize shifting the table's position. If you say Bitte bewegen Sie den Tisch rüber nach links, it translates to "Please move the table over to the left." Here, rüber (short for herüber or hinüber) acts as an adverb emphasizing the physical transfer from one spot to another.
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