Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| parler | /paʁ.le/ |
| bavarder | /ba.vaʁ.de/ |
| s'entretenir |
The verb parler is used for the general act of communicating by speech. It is also the specific verb used to indicate the ability to speak a language, such as parler français.
Which one should you use?
While parler is the general term, you should use bavarder when you mean to chat or engage in idle, casual conversation. For more formal, serious or structured situations like business meetings or interviews, use s'entretenir to describe having a discussion or interview.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say 'to talk to someone', you must use the preposition à after the verb, as in parler à quelqu'un으로.
How do you pronounce it?
/paʁ.le/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often say parler avec to mean 'to talk with', but the standard way to express talking to a specific person is to use parler à.
Did you know?
- The word bavard for 'talkative' is closely linked to bave, which means 'drool' or 'saliva'. This suggests that someone who chats too much is practically letting saliva leak from their mouth.
- The verb parler shares its deepest roots with the English word 'parable'. Both come from the Greek word parabolḗ, which originally referred to a comparison or a story used to illustrate a point.
- French has a specific expression parler dans le vide, meaning 'to talk into the void'. This is used when someone is talking but nobody is listening or the effort is useless.
Examples in context
- Tu veux parler ?Do you want to talk?This sentence shows how to ask if someone wants to talk using parler.Tatoeba #8984669 by Micsmithel, translation #2011472 by CK
- Arrête de parler !Stop the talk!This sentence uses parler as a command to stop talking.Tatoeba #899195 by sacredceltic, translation #7357074 by Eccles17
- Il veut te parler.He wants to talk to you.This sentence demonstrates using parler to express wanting to talk to someone.Tatoeba #1932711 by sacredceltic, translation #1931974 by Spamster
- Je dois parler avec mon supérieur.I need to talk to my boss.
- Nous devons discuter de ce projet important.We need to talk about this important project.
- Je vais m'entretenir avec le représentant de l'entreprise.I will talk with the company representative.
- Allons faire une petite causette autour d'un café.Let's have a little chat over coffee.
- Arrête ton blabla et dis-moi ce qui se passe.Stop your blabber and tell me what's going on.
- On a passé la nuit à discuter de nos projets d'avenir.We spent the night talking about our future plans.
- Allons papoter dans le jardin.Let's chat in the garden.
- Lors de cette réunion importante, il est essentiel de discuter calmement pour trouver une solution.During this important meeting, it is crucial to talk calmly to find a solution.
- 1460 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are sitting in a quiet cafe.
- ManonLucas, est-ce que tu peux parler ?Lucas, can you talk?
- LucasOui, je peux parler un instant.Yes, I can talk for a moment.
- ManonMerci, j'ai besoin de ton aide.Thank you, I need your help.
- LucasDis-moi tout, je t'écoute.Tell me everything, I'm listening.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “talk” translations and entries parler, bavarder, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bavarder, parler, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
