When someone is asked to move over a little, is it idiomatic to use "shift"? I heard someone say (though of course not a native):
Shift a little forward.
I found it a little strange. Is it better to use "move over" in this context?
Just move over little.
And when just a single word is used (though it sounds a little rude)
Move over.
Shift.
What sounds better and more natural, what sounds more likely "move over" or "shift" (I know that "scoot over, budge over etc. are used too.)
"Please move over a little" is very common, and it means to move laterally or horizontally in a row of seats. It can't be directly exchanged with "forward", which means "towards the front". If you do mean "forward" though, then "please move forward a little" is ok.
"Move over!", as you mentioned, sounds abrupt or rude. It makes perfect sense.
"Shift!" would not be said, as a command. It's not idiomatic.
"Shift a little forward" -
There are different regional dialects and variations of English. Just in my opinion the choices of "scoot", "move", and "move over" are much more standard. "Shift" does not sound idiomatic. But it does have a literal meaning "to move from one place, position, direction, etc., to another." Based on the dictionary definition, it certainly makes sense in specific cases.
As always, it depends on the context, but shift is quite commonly used in place of move. I think shift implies moving something a small distance. It's like a minor move.
For example, here the movement is very small:
If you shift that one forward, and the other one backward, I think they will fit.
Just shift a little to the right.
You can't really shift something a larger distance:
ShiftMove the ball from one end of the field to the other.
