bâillement
/baj.mɑ̃/
In French, the word for a yawn is bâillement.
bâillement is a noun referring to the act of opening the mouth and taking a deep breath. If you want to express the action of yawning as a verb, use bâiller.
Meaning: open the mouth and take a deep breath (verb)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /baj.mɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- In French, the verb bâiller is a homophone of bailler, which is an old legal term meaning 'to give' or 'to lease'.
- In French, if someone is 'bâillant d'envie', they are not yawning from desire, but rather 'gaping' with a profound, almost physical longing.
- The verb bâiller has a second, completely different meaning: it can also mean 'to gape' or 'to be wide open', such as describing a wide-open door or a gap in a fence.
Examples in context
- Je me suis réveillé en baillant.I woke up yawning.
- Il a commencé à bailler, signe qu'il était fatigué.He started yawning, a sign that he was tired.
- Il ne peut pas s'empêcher de bâiller.He cannot help yawning.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are in a boring meeting.
- HugoPardon, j'ai eu un petit bâillement.Sorry, I had a little yawn.
- EmmaMoi aussi, c'est vraiment ennuyeux ici.Me too, it's really boring here.
- HugoJe n'ai pas assez dormi hier soir.I didn't sleep enough last night.
- EmmaEssaye de rester éveillé, Hugo.Try to stay awake, Hugo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bâillement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
