How do you say "cry" in French?

pleurer

Verb Noun

In French, "cry" is pleurer.

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Pronunciation

Say plur-AY, with stress on the final syllable and a rolled r.

Grammar notes

pleurer is a verb used the same way as its English equivalent.

Example sentence

Le bébé se mit à pleurer.

The baby began to cry.

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How to remember pleurer

Pleurer sounds close to 'pleurisy', an unrelated illness, but easy to link mentally to tears and pain.

Related words

Browse all French words in the glossary.

Questions about pleurer

How do you pronounce pleurer?

Say plur-AY, with stress on the final syllable and a rolled r.

Is pleurer formal or casual?

pleurer is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is pleurer used in French?

pleurer is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: Le bébé se mit à pleurer. (The baby began to cry.).

Where can I practice French words for free?

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"Cry" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

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