French word

pleurer

Pronunciation

IPA/pløʁe/

Meaning

  • verbcry

Example

L'enfant pleure parce qu'il a faim.

The child is crying because he is hungry.

Illustration for pleurer (cry)

More examples

Elle a pleuré de joie en lisant la lettre.

She wept for joy as she read the letter.

Core concept

Tears gather and fall, while the voice may remain quiet or break into sobs.

Common phrases

  • se mettre à pleurer

    begin to cry

  • pleurer de joie

    weep with joy

  • pleurer de tristesse

    cry with sadness

Similar words

sangloter: To sob intensely in short, breathless bursts.
pleurnicher: To whine or fuss tearfully to express dissatisfaction or make a demand.

Definition in French

Émettre des larmes en réaction à une émotion, une douleur ou une irritation, parfois silencieusement, parfois en sanglotant.

Word origin

Pleurer comes from Latin plorare, 'to cry out and lament', through Old French forms such as plorer and pleurer, with the meaning broadening to shedding tears.

Usage tips

  • Pleurer de rire means to cry with laughter, so the phrase does not necessarily express sadness.

Other meanings

  • grieveverb
  • lamentverb
  • sobverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word