French word

râler

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁale/

Meaning

  • verbcomplain

Example

Arrête de râler, s'il te plaît.

Please stop complaining.

Illustration for râler (complain)

More examples

Il passe son temps à râler contre tout.

He spends his time complaining about everything.

Core concept

A low stream of small complaints escaping in a bad-tempered grumble.

Common phrases

  • arrêter de râler

    stop complaining

  • râler contre

    complain about ___

Similar words

se plaindre: To express dissatisfaction about an event or situation to someone.
rouspéter: To complain in an informal, grumbling way.
ronchonner: To voice a brief complaint in a bad-tempered way.
bougonner: To mutter complaints in a low voice.

Definition in French

Manifester oralement son mécontentement, souvent par des plaintes courtes et répétées, généralement au registre familier.

Word origin

Old French râler referred to making a rough throat sound, and French extended this sound-based verb to speaking discontent aloud.

Usage tips

  • Râler contre takes a person, thing, or situation as its target, as in râler contre le bruit.

Other meanings

  • grumbleverb

Opposites

  • se satisfairebe satisfiedverb
  • se réjouirrejoiceverb

Related words

  • râleurcomplainernoun
  • râleriegrumblingnoun

Word lists with this word