bavard
/ba.vaʁ/
The English word 'talkative' can be translated into French as bavard. Wiktionary also lists loquace.
Meaning: tending to talk or speak freely or often (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| bavard | /ba.vaʁ/ |
| loquace | /lɔ.kas/ /lɔ.kwas/ |
The term is used to describe someone who tends to speak freely or often.
Which one should you use?
While both bavard and loquace mean talkative, bavard is the common, everyday term. In contrast, loquace is used in more formal, literary or sophisticated contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bavard changes depending on the gender and number of the person you are describing. Use the masculine form bavard for a man or a general subject. Use the feminine form bavarde for a woman. For a group of men or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural bavards. For a group of women, use the feminine plural bavardes.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of bavard is /ba.vaʁ/ and it has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word bavard is derived from bave, meaning 'spittle'. It literally evokes the image of someone talking so much that they spray saliva.
- You can also use the idiom avoir la langue bien pendue to describe someone talkative, which literally means 'to have the tongue well hung'.
- To say someone is a 'chatterbox' in a more biting way, you can call them a moulin à paroles, or a 'word mill'.
Examples in context
- Il est peu bavard.He isn't talkative.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone is not talkative using bavard.Tatoeba #6177694 by felix63, translation #6814191 by Eccles17
- Pat est très bavarde.Pat is very talkative.This sentence is useful for expressing that Pat is very talkative using bavard.Tatoeba #788694 by siggg, translation #35143 by CN
- George est assez bavard.George is quite talkative.This sentence is useful for expressing that George is quite talkative using bavard.Tatoeba #11774 by Lulantis, translation #52958 by CN
- Elle est très loquace lors des réunions.She is very talkative during meetings.
- Notre professeur est toujours volubile lorsqu'il parle de son sujet préféré.Our teacher is always talkative when discussing his favorite subject.
- Mon ami est très bavard. Il adore raconter des histoires.My friend is very talkative. He loves telling stories.
- Ma petite sœur est une vraie pipelette. Elle ne s'arrête jamais de parler!My little sister is a real chatterbox. She never stops talking!
- Elle est extrêmement loquace.She is extremely talkative.
- Il est incroyablement bavard.He is incredibly talkative.
- Mon voisin est un vrai moulin à paroles!My neighbor is a real chatterbox!
- Elle parle sans arrêt, elle n'a jamais la langue dans sa poche!She talks non-stop, she never bites her tongue!
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are talking about a new neighbor.
- EmmaLe nouveau voisin est vraiment bavard.The new neighbor is really talkative.
- LucasAh bon ? Il parle beaucoup ?Oh really? Does he talk a lot?
- EmmaOui, il est très bavard avec tout le monde.Yes, he is very talkative with everyone.
- LucasC'est bon à savoir.That's good to know.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “talkative” translations and entries bavard, loquace, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bavard, loquace, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
