crier
/kʁi.je/
To scream in French is crier.
Crier is used to describe the act of making a loud sound, whether through shouting or screaming. It can be used for expressions of pain or for expressing intense emotions, such as in the phrase crier de joie (to scream with joy).
Meaning: to make the sound of a scream (verb)
Which one should you use?
While crier is used for screaming or shouting, the verb hurler is a stronger alternative used for more intense, prolonged or visceral screams and howls.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cri is the direct counterpart to the verb crier, meaning a cry, shout or scream.
How do you pronounce it?
The word crier is pronounced /kʁi.je/ and consists of 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse crier with the English verb 'to cry' in the sense of weeping or shedding tears. If you want to say someone is weeping, use pleurer instead.
Did you know?
- The phrase crier famine does not mean to scream for food, but rather to complain loudly about being poor or hungry.
- In French legal history, a cri was not just a scream but a formal public proclamation made by an official to notify the population of a law.
- The expression crier au loup means to sound a false alarm, referencing the fable of the boy who cried wolf.
Examples in context
- Sami se mit à crier.Sami started to scream.This sentence shows how to use crier with the verb 'started'.Tatoeba #6741850 by GB3, translation #6741849 by OsoHombre
- J'ai envie de crier.I want to scream.This sentence illustrates the expression of a desire to crier.Tatoeba #8386414 by Aiji, translation #3734420 by CK
- J'ai commencé à crier.I started to scream.This sentence demonstrates the use of crier following the verb 'started'.Tatoeba #11708375 by Aiji, translation #5958415 by CK
- Il a hurlé de douleurHe screamed in pain
- Elle a hurlé de peurShe screamed in fear
- J'hurle d'exaspérationI scream with frustration
- Ne crie pas autant !Don't shout so much!
- Il a crié de joie !He screamed with joy!
- Le public a beuglé des slogans politiques .The crowd screamed political slogans
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking through a quiet forest at night.
- EmmaNe commence pas à crier, Lucas !Don't start screaming, Lucas!
- LucasMais j'ai peur, Emma.But I am afraid, Emma.
- EmmaTu vas crier pour rien.You're going to scream for nothing.
- LucasJe ne peux pas m'en empêcher.I can't help it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scream” translations and entries crier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
