French Conversation · Level 73
60 words
French word
balbutier
Pronunciation
IPA/balbysje/
Meaning
- verbstammer
Example
Il balbutie quand il est stressé.
He stammers when he is stressed.
More examples
Elle balbutie au téléphone en apprenant la mauvaise nouvelle.
She stammers on the phone while learning the bad news.
Core concept
A speaker searching for words while sounds stop and start before a complete answer emerges.
Common phrases
balbutie un mot
stammer a word
balbutie une phrase
stammer a sentence
balbutie au téléphone
stammer on the phone
Similar words
hésiter: Hesitates while looking for words and delays beginning to speak.
bégayer: Has persistent repetitions or blocks that make speaking difficult.
bafouiller: Speaks in a jumbled way when hurried or tense, obscuring the message.
bredouiller: Speaks softly and indistinctly, with words often running together.
Definition in French
Parler de manière hésitante en interrompant le flux de la parole par des répétitions ou des coupures, souvent sous l'effet du stress, de la gêne ou de l'incertitude.
Word origin
French balbutier comes from Late Latin balbutire and is connected with Latin balbus, meaning stammering or inarticulate.
Usage tips
- Balbutier can be transitive or intransitive: balbutier une réponse means to utter a hesitant answer, while balbutier alone describes the manner of speaking.