fermer
/fɛʁ.me/
The English phrase "shut" translates to the French verb fermer.
The verb fermer is a transitive verb meaning "to close". It is used for physical objects like a door, a book or a shop. Idiomatically, the phrase la fermer is used to mean "to shut up" or "to keep one's mouth shut".
Meaning: (transitive) to close (verb)
Which one should you use?
While fermer is the standard verb used to mean "to close" something (such as a door or a shop), it takes on the idiomatic meaning of "to shut up" specifically when used in the expression la fermer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle fermé can be used as an adjective to mean "closed".
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /fɛʁ.me/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- French has a specific term fermeture éclair for a zipper, which literally translates to 'lightning closure'.
- In France, the phrase fermer sa gueule is a much more aggressive way to say 'shut up' because gueule refers to the mouth of an animal.
- The verb fermer shares its roots with the English word 'firm', as both stem from the Latin 'firmare' meaning 'to make steady or strong'.
Examples in context
- J'aurais dû la fermer.I should have kept my mouth shut.This sentence shows how to use fermer in the idiomatic expression for keeping one's mouth shut.Tatoeba #2097316 by sacredceltic, translation #2079849 by Spamster
- J'ai dit de la fermer !I said shut up!This sentence uses fermer to command someone to shut up.Tatoeba #1453651 by sacredceltic, translation #1453550 by Spamster
- Il aurait dû la fermer.He should have kept his mouth shut.This sentence uses fermer idiomatically to describe someone who should have kept their mouth shut.Tatoeba #2097317 by sacredceltic, translation #2079847 by Spamster
- Veuillez fermer la porte, s'il vous plaît.Please shut the door.
- Nous allons fermer le magasin à 18h.We are going to shut the store at 6pm.
- Il faut clôturer les inscriptions demain.We need to shut registrations tomorrow.
- Tais-toi et laisse-moi réfléchir, s'il te plaît.Shut up and let me think, please.
- Pourrais-tu te taire un instant, s'il te plaît?Could you please be quiet for a moment?
- Je lui ai demandé de se taire pendant le film.I asked him to keep quiet during the movie.
- Pourriez-vous fermer cette fenêtre, s'il vous plaît?Could you shut this window, please?
- Ferme la porte en partant!Shut the door when you leave!
- Tu pourrais te taire un peu, s'il te plaît?Could you be quiet for a little while, please?
- 81 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are in the living room during a storm.
- EmmaHugo, peux-tu fermer la fenêtre ?Hugo, can you close the window?
- HugoOui, je vais la fermer tout de suite.Yes, I will close it right away.
- EmmaMerci, il commence à pleuvoir.Thank you, it is starting to rain.
- HugoC'est fait, elle est bien fermée.It's done, it is well closed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut” translations and entries fermer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fermer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
