hurler
/yʁ.le/
To yell in French is to hurler. Wiktionary also lists gueuler.
Meaning: shout (verb) (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hurler | /yʁ.le/ | |
| gueuler | /ɡœ.le/ | familiar |
The verb hurler is the standard way to express yelling or shouting, and it often implies a loud, piercing or even animalistic sound. Beyond human speech, it can also be used to describe the sound of the wind or an animal howling.
Which one should you use?
hurler is a neutral term used for shouting or howling. In contrast, gueuler is a more colloquial or vulgar way to express yelling, typically used when someone is shouting in anger.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hurler is the standard, neutral choice. If you want to express yelling in a formal or elegant way, you can use vociférer. On the other hand, gueuler is a familiar and more vulgar option.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /yʁ.le/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the verb hurler can be used to describe a person laughing uncontrollably, as in hurler de rire.
- Because gueuler is rooted in the word for an animal's mouth, telling someone Tais-toi is polite, but Tais ta gueule is a harsh command to shut up.
- French has a specific distinction between hurler and hululer, though both can be translated as 'to howl'.
Examples in context
- Je n'ai personne sur qui hurler.I don't have anyone to yell at.This sentence illustrates the use of hurler regarding having someone to yell at.Tatoeba #3718779 by Julien_PDC, translation #3313574 by trieuho
- Tu n'as pas besoin de me hurler dessus.You don't have to yell at me.This sentence shows how to use hurler when someone is yelling at you.Tatoeba #6381030 by Aiji, translation #3373010 by CK
- Le professeur a vociféré des ordres à ses élèves.The teacher yelled orders at his students.
- La foule a hurlé de peur lors de l'incident.The crowd yelled out of fear during the incident.
- Les enfants criaient de joie dans le parc.The children yelled with joy in the park.
- Nous avons hurlé de rire devant ce film comique.We yelled with laughter at this comedy movie.
- Arrête de brailler, s'il te plaît!Stop yelling, please!
- Il ne faut pas hurler dans la rue.You must not shout in the street.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are watching a scary movie.
- LucasPourquoi est-ce qu'elle va hurler ?Why is she going to yell?
- ManonRegarde, il y a un monstre derrière elle !Look, there is a monster behind her!
- LucasC'est terrifiant, j'ai envie de hurler aussi.It's terrifying, I want to yell too.
- ManonNe fais pas ça, on va réveiller les voisins.Don't do that, we will wake the neighbors.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yell” translations and entries hurler, gueuler, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gueuler, hurler, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
