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je piétine

tramples, stamps on, is treading water, is making no progress

p j e . t i n → piétiner
piétin to trample, to stomp on + e je/il present or subjunctive; tu command
verb · 1st-person singular, present tense / 3rd-person singular, present tense / 2nd-person singular Rare #49,440
tramples, stamps on In the sense “to beat someone up,” this is colloquial and threatening.
FR: Ne piétine pas les fleurs !
EN: Don't trample the flowers!
is treading water, is making no progress Often used figuratively to mean making no progress.
FR: Depuis une heure, je piétine sur ce problème.
EN: I've been getting nowhere with this problem for an hour.
Conjugation of piétiner
Indicative present
SingularPlural
First piétine —
Third piétine —
Subjunctive present
SingularPlural
First piétine —
Third piétine —
Imperative
SingularPlural
Second piétine —

Je ne voulais pas que la police piétine le sang de mon mari.

I didn't want the police to trample on my husband's blood.

— Decision to Leave (2022)

Si je te reprends dans ce sous-sol, je te piétine.

If I catch you again in this basement, I'll trample you.

— Running Man (2025)

Ne piétine pas ma pelouse !

Don't walk on my lawn!

Je veux pas qu'il sache que je piétine.

I don't want him to know I'm treading water.

— The Money Maker (2026)