French Conversation · Level 135
30 words
French word
chatouiller
Pronunciation
IPA/ʃatuje/
Meaning
- verbtickle
Example
Arrête de me chatouiller !
Stop tickling me!
More examples
Elle aime se faire chatouiller quand elle rit.
She likes to be tickled when she laughs.
Core concept
Light fingers make a person laugh or shiver with a small, involuntary reaction.
Common phrases
se faire chatouiller
be tickled
chatouiller le ventre
tickle the stomach
Similar words
toucher: Make physical contact with a person, surface, or object.
caresser: Move gently over the skin to soothe or please.
démanger: Make the skin feel itchy and create a need to scratch.
gratter: Rub an area of skin with the hand or nails to reduce itching.
Definition in French
Toucher légèrement une personne ou une partie du corps de manière à la faire rire ou à provoquer un frisson; verbe transitif courant en conversation.
Word origin
Chatouiller is formed from the older noun chatouille with the verb ending -er, while chatouille is generally considered expressive or imitative in origin.
Usage tips
- Chatouiller takes a direct object, as in chatouiller quelqu'un, without a preposition before the person being touched.
Other meanings
- tingleverb
Related words
- chatouillea ticklenoun
- chatouillétickledadjective