parler
/paʁ.le/
To speak in French is parler.
parler is the standard verb for the general act of speaking, whether you mean to speak a language or to talk to someone. When you want to say you speak a specific language, use parler directly with that language without any preposition, such as parler français.
Which one should you use?
While parler can mean both 'to speak' and 'to talk', it is the standard choice for general use. If you wish to emphasize the act of expressing oneself, you might use the formal verb S'exprimer. For a casual context, the informal verb Papoter means 'to chat' or 'to talk'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say you are speaking to someone, you must use the preposition à after the verb parler, forming the structure parler à quelqu'un.
How do you pronounce it?
/paʁ.le/
Did you know?
- The verb parler is a distant relative of the English word 'parable', as both stem from the Greek word for a comparison or illustration.
- French uses the phrase parler sans détour to describe speaking bluntly or honestly, which literally translates to 'speaking without a detour'.
- While parler means 'to speak', the French use the expression parler dans le vide to describe speaking to someone who is not listening, literally 'speaking into the void'.
Examples in context
- Je dois te parler.I've got to speak to you.This sentence is useful for expressing the need to speak to someone using parler.Tatoeba #1941763 by sacredceltic, translation #1941221 by Spamster
- Je dois lui parler.I've got to speak to him.This sentence is useful for expressing the need to speak to him using parler.Tatoeba #1941755 by sacredceltic, translation #1941223 by Spamster
- Je dois vous parler.I need to speak to you.This sentence is useful for expressing the need to speak to you using parler.Tatoeba #1941759 by sacredceltic, translation #2387737 by CK
- Je parle français.I speak French.
- Ils parlent anglais.They speak English.
- Elle parle bien espagnol.She speaks Spanish well.
- Nous parlons un peu français.We speak a little French.
- Elle s'exprime clairement.She expresses herself clearly.
- On peut bavarder un peu?Can we chat for a bit?
- Ça te dit de papoter un moment?How about talking for a while?
- 542 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are at a cafe discussing her new job.
- GabrielTu veux parler de ton nouveau travail ?Do you want to speak about your new job?
- LéaOui, je peux en parler maintenant.Yes, I can speak about it now.
- GabrielC'est super, je t'écoute.That's great, I'm listening.
- LéaMerci de vouloir parler avec moi.Thanks for wanting to speak with me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry parler, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries parler, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
