soupir
/su.piʁ/
The French word for 'sigh' is soupir.
The noun soupir refers to the act of exhaling in a sigh. To describe the action of sighing, the most standard and widely used verb is soupirer. A common way to describe the physical act of letting out a sigh is to use the phrase pousser un soupir, which literally means 'to push a sigh'. For expressing relief, the standard expression is un soupir de soulagement (a sigh of relief).
Meaning: to exhale in sighs (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form of the noun soupir is soupirer.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/su.piʁ/', 'syllables': 2}
Did you know?
- While soupirer is a verb, the noun soupir can also refer to a small ventilation slit in a wall or basement, designed to let the building 'breathe'.
- While English speakers often 'sigh' as a way to show boredom, in French, using the verb soupirer in a romantic context often implies intense longing or yearning rather than annoyance.
- In French literature, if a character is described as having un soupir de mort, it does not mean they are sighing because they are dying, but refers to their final breath.
Examples in context
- Ne soupire pas comme ça.Don't sigh like that.This sentence uses soupir to show how someone might be sighing.Tatoeba #10498723 by lbdx, translation #7828675 by AlanF_US
- Il poussa un soupir de soulagement.He gave a sigh of relief.This sentence uses soupir to describe letting out a sigh of relief.Tatoeba #1224275 by sacredceltic, translation #293498 by CH
- Nous soupirâmes tous de soulagement.We all breathed a sigh of relief.This sentence uses soupir in the context of a group breathing a sigh of relief.Tatoeba #1471105 by sacredceltic, translation #1441414 by quickfitter
- Il soupira profondément, exprimant ainsi sa fatigue.He sighed deeply, expressing his tiredness.
- Son soupir traduisait sa déception.His sigh expressed his disappointment.
- Elle suspirait après chaque phrase, exprimant son ennui.She sighed after each sentence, expressing her boredom.
- Il souffla en levant les yeux au ciel.He sighed while rolling his eyes.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are studying for a difficult exam.
- LéaC'est trop difficile, je vais soupirer toute la nuit.It's too difficult, I'm going to sigh all night.
- LucasNe fais pas ça, Lucas, reste concentré !Don't do that, Lucas, stay focused!
- LéaJe ne peux pas m'empêcher de soupirer.I can't help but sigh.
- LucasPrends une pause et on recommence.Take a break and we'll start again.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry soupir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
