respirer
/ʁɛs.pi.ʁe/
To breathe in French is respirer. Wiktionary also lists inspirer and expirer.
Meaning: to draw air in and out (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| respirer | /ʁɛs.pi.ʁe/ |
| inspirer | /ɛ̃s.pi.ʁe/ |
| expirer | /ɛk.spi.ʁe/ |
Respirer is used for both the physiological process of breathing and the metaphorical sense of 'breathing' (e.g., breathing fresh air or a sense of relief).
Which one should you use?
While respirer refers to the general act of breathing, inspirer specifically refers to the act of inhaling air and expirer specifically refers to the act of exhaling air.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb respirer is a regular -er verb, meaning it follows standard conjugation patterns for the first group.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʁɛs.pi.ʁe/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While expirer means 'to exhale' in a medical context, it is also the standard French verb for 'to die', much like the English word 'expire'.
- French has a specific phrase respirer à pleins poumons, which literally means 'to breathe with full lungs'. It is used to express the feeling of total freedom or immense joy.
- In French, 'to take a breath' is often expressed as reprendre son souffle, which literally means 'to take back one's breath'.
Examples in context
- Tu peux respirer ?Can you breathe?This sentence shows how to ask if someone is able to respirer.Tatoeba #9977052 by Micsmithel, translation #2245050 by CK
- Je peux à peine respirer.I can barely breathe.This sentence demonstrates using respirer to express difficulty in breathing.Tatoeba #11242109 by lbdx, translation #5958246 by CK
- Je n'arrive pas à respirer.I can't breathe.This sentence illustrates how to say you are unable to respirer.Tatoeba #1650818 by sacredceltic, translation #1650172 by Spamster
- Il est important de respirer profondément pendant le yoga.It is important to breathe deeply during yoga.
- Veuillez prendre une inspiration avant de commencer votre discours.Please take a breath before you start your speech.
- Hé, tu devrais respirer calmement avant de partir.Hey, you should breathe calmly before you leave.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are practicing yoga together.
- ManonN'oublie pas de bien respirer.Don't forget to breathe well.
- GabrielC'est difficile dans cette position.It's difficult in this position.
- ManonEssaie de respirer lentement.Try to breathe slowly.
- GabrielD'accord, je me concentre.Okay, I am concentrating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breathe” translations and entries respirer, inspirer, expirer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
