English–French

“purr” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɔ̃ʁone/

Example

Le chat ronronne sur mes genoux.

The cat is purring on my lap.

Illustration for ronronner (purr)

How to say “purr” in French

“Purr” in French is ronronner.

A contented cat produces a gentle, regular hum through vibrating muscles in its throat.

Full entry for ronronner: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with ronronner

Le chat se met à ronronner dès que je l'approche.

The cat starts purring as soon as I approach it.

Tips for using ronronner

  • French also uses ronronner figuratively for smooth, quiet operation, as in Le moteur ronronne for an engine running with a steady hum.

“purr” in other languages