It's not always what you say, but how you say it that matters...
![Le déjeuner des canotiers (Luncheon of the Boating Party) (1881) Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=678x10000:format=jpg/path/s0caa94874dfe04dc/image/ib4b57d3d7544504e/version/1618749457/image.jpg)
You've mastered parler (to talk, to speak) and dire (to say, to tell), but the subtleties of speech often need more than these to best convey how we speak.
Baby talk:
Babiller - to babble
Gazouiller - to babble
Saying it softly:
Murmurer - to murmur, to whisper
Chuchoter - to whisper
Bruire - to whisper (less common)
Marmonner - to mumble
Un murmure - a whisper
Un chuchotement - a whisper
Un bruissement - a whisper
Parler doucement - to talk quietly
Between friends:
Bavarder - to chat
Jaser - to gossip
Potiner - gossip
Faire la causette - to chin-wag
Blaguer - to joke
Discuter - to discuss
Papoter - to natter
Jacasser - to cackle, to prattle
Plaisanter - to joke, to banter
Taquiner - to tease
To win someone over:
Draguer (quelqu'un) - to chat up or flirt with (someone)
Flagorner - to flatter, to sweet-talk
Flatter - to flatter
Courtiser - to flatter, to woo
To disagree or complain:
Se disputer - to argue, to quarrel
Argumenter - to argue
Débattre - to discuss, to debate
Râler - to gripe, to whinge
Se plaindre - to complain, to snivel
Bagarrer - to quarrel
Se chamailler - to squabble
Négocier - to discuss, to negotiate
Grogner - to grumble
Rouspéter - to grumble, to grouse
To be understood:
Expliquer - to explain
Justifier - to justify, to excuse
Démontrer - to demonstrate, to explain
Éclairer - to enlighten, to clarify
To be heard:
Crier - to shout, to scream
Hurler - to scream, to yell
A voix haute - with a high voice, with a loud voice
A haute voix - aloud, out loud
As the French might say... :
Parler comme quatre - to be very talkative...
La langue de bois - political cant, smooth talk
Avoir la langue bien pendue - to have the gift of the gab
La flagornerie - sweet-talk
Bêler une chèvre - to speak with a shaky voice (litterally 'to bleat like a goat')
Parler entre ses dents - to mumble
Le charabia - gobbledygook
Le baratin - waffle, claptrap
When words fail:
Bégayer - to stutter
Zézayer - to lisp
Zozoter - to lisp
Avoir un chat dans la gorge - to have a frog (litterally 'a cat') in your throat
Être à bouche bée - to be speechless
Être sans voix - to be speechless
Muet (m) / muette (f) - mute
Communiquer en langue des
signes - to communicate in sign language
Mimer - to mime
![Mime artist Marcel Marceau](https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=338x10000:format=jpg/path/s0caa94874dfe04dc/image/i2c69de1819937750/version/1619764620/image.jpg)
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