French Conversation · Level 34
75 words
French word
salir
Pronunciation
IPA/saliʁ/
Meaning
- verbdirty
Example
Ne salis pas ta chemise.
Don't dirty your shirt.
More examples
La pluie a sali mes chaussures.
The rain dirtied my shoes.
Core concept
A clean surface meets mud, oil, or another substance and becomes visibly dirty, while a person's reputation can become stained in the same way.
Common phrases
salir la chemise
dirty the shirt
salir les mains
dirty one's hands
salir le sol
dirty the floor
Similar words
tacher: To leave a stain on clothing or paper with liquid or ink.
souiller: To soil an object or place and make it unclean.
Definition in French
Rendre quelque chose sale par contact avec de la saleté, une tache ou une substance; s'emploie parfois au sens figuré pour altérer une réputation.
Word origin
The verb salir is formed from the adjective sale with the French verbal suffix -ir, and its concrete sense extends naturally to reputations.
Usage tips
- Salir is transitive for making something dirty, whereas se salir means to become dirty: Ne salis pas ta chemise contrasts with La chemise se salit.