chuchoter
/ʃy.ʃɔ.te/
To whisper in French is to use the verb chuchoter. Wiktionary also lists susurrer.
Meaning: talk in a quiet voice (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| chuchoter | /ʃy.ʃɔ.te/ |
| susurrer | /sy.sy.ʁe/ |
The primary way to express the act of speaking in a quiet voice is with the verb chuchoter. If you wish to describe the act of whispering as a noun, you can use chuchotement. Alternatively, you can use the adverbial phrase à voix basse to mean speaking in a low voice.
Which one should you use?
chuchoter is the standard, everyday verb used when someone speaks in a low voice to avoid being overheard. In contrast, susurrer is a more literary term used to describe soft, poetic sounds, such as the rustling of wind or the sound of water.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the noun chuchotement is chuchotements.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of chuchoter is /ʃy.ʃɔ.te/. It consists of three syllables.
Did you know?
- The English word 'susurration', meaning a humming or whispering sound, is a direct relative of the French susurrer.
- The structure of chuchoter uses a repetitive 'chu' sound, which is the same sound French speakers use to tell someone to be quiet, like 'shh'.
- French authors often use susurrer in romantic literature to describe a lover's whisper, as chuchoter can sound too clinical or secretive.
Examples in context
- Je vous ai entendu chuchoter.I heard you whisper.This sentence shows how to use chuchoter when talking about hearing someone whisper.Tatoeba #9729841 by lbdx, translation #7919474 by shekitten
- Je suis enroué, alors je dois chuchoter.I'm hoarse, so I have to whisper.This sentence illustrates using chuchoter due to having a hoarse voice.Tatoeba #12484925 by lbdx, translation #12481880 by sundown
- Permettez-moi de vous chuchoter à l'oreille.Let me whisper in your ear.This sentence demonstrates how to use chuchoter when whispering into someone's ear.Tatoeba #12921804 by lbdx, translation #3726256 by CM
- Il murmura à l'oreille de son ami.He whispered into his friend's ear.
- Elle chuchota doucement pour ne pas déranger les autres.She whispered softly so as not to disturb the others.
- On a dû chuchoter tout bas pour ne pas réveiller les voisins.We had to whisper quietly so as not to wake the neighbors.
- Ils se murmuraient à voix basse des secrets.They whispered secrets to each other in a low voice.
- Fernand fit un geste pour demander à Kira de chuchoter.Fernand made a gesture to ask Kira to whisper.
- Ils murmuraient des mots doux le long de la rivière.They whispered sweet words by the river.
- Elle chuchotait les derniers potins à son amie.She whispered the latest gossip to her friend.
- Il murmura quelques mots au juge en plein procès.He whispered a few words to the judge during the trial.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a library, two people are trying to be quiet.
- NathanTu peux chuchoter un peu ?Can you whisper a little bit?
- LéaDésolée, je vais chuchoter.Sorry, I will whisper.
- NathanMerci, Léa, c'est très gentil.Thank you, Léa, that is very kind.
- LéaPas de problème, Nathan.No problem, Nathan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “whisper” translations and entries chuchoter, susurrer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
