briller
/bʁi.je/
To shine in French is to say briller. Wiktionary also lists luire.
Meaning: to emit light (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| briller | /bʁi.je/ |
| luire | /lɥiʁ/ |
The verb briller means to emit light. It is commonly used for bright, intense or steady light, such as that from the sun or a star. You can also use briller metaphorically to describe a person's talent or intelligence, much like saying someone 'shines' or 'excels' in English. Related to this, the noun éclat refers to brightness coming from a source of light.
Which one should you use?
While briller is used for intense or steady light, luire is used to describe a softer, more subdued or intermittent light, such as a faint glimmer or a glow in the dark.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word briller has two syllables and is pronounced /bʁi.je/.
Did you know?
- The root of briller traces back through a long chain of history that includes the ancient Greek word for 'beryl', a precious gemstone.
- The noun éclat can describe a brilliant flash of light, but it also means a 'burst' of laughter or a 'fragment' of glass.
- In French, if a person is 'shining' with health or happiness, they might be described as rayonnant, which literally means 'radiating' like a sunbeam.
Examples in context
- Est-ce que le soleil brillera demain ?Will the sun shine tomorrow?This sentence is useful for asking about the sun's light with briller.Tatoeba #998665 by manuk7, translation #8717467 by sundown
- Pour nous aussi le soleil brillera un jour.For us too one day the sun will shine.This sentence is useful for expressing hope about the sun's light with briller.Tatoeba #1043683 by sacredceltic, translation #1742320 by belgavox
- Le soleil et la lune avaient commencé à briller.The sun and the moon had started to shine.This sentence is useful for describing the sun and moon starting to shine with briller.Tatoeba #7705198 by lbdx, translation #3608069 by panamicua
- Le soleil brille dans le ciel aujourd'hui.The sun is shining in the sky today.
- Sa personnalité brillante est contagieuse.Her shining personality is contagious.
- Les étoiles émettent de la lumière la nuit.Stars shine at night.
- Elle rayonne de bonheur depuis qu'elle a reçu la nouvelle.She's been shining with happiness since she received the news.
- Les bougies éclairent la pièce d'une lumière douce.The candles cast a soft shine in the room.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are looking at the night sky.
- LéaRegarde comme les étoiles brillent ce soir !Look how the stars are shining tonight!
- LucasOui, elles brillent vraiment fort.Yes, they are really shining brightly.
- LéaEst-ce que la Lune va briller aussi ?Will the moon shine too?
- LucasElle commence déjà à briller, Léa.It is already starting to shine, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shine” translations and entries briller, luire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries briller, luire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
