Imitating the sound of an object or an animal is not easy to convey in writing, but it can be done! In fact, there is a special word derived from Greek for just that purpose, onomatopée (onomatopoeia), which is a close cousin to an interjection. (The distinction is open for debate as grammarians have conflicting views.)

Every language has its own version of onomatopoeia. For example, the sound of a rooster crowing will be rendered differently in various languages: 

• In French: cocorico

• In English: cock-a-doodle-doo

• In German: kikeriki

• In Italian: chicchirichì

Animal sounds are a great source of onomatopée:

Le coq fait cocorico tous les matins.

The rooster goes cock-a-doodle-doo every morning.

However, you might be surprised to know that in French, some onomatopoeias can double as interjections, a type of exclamation where the emphasis is not on the sound so much as the sentiment behind it. Indeed, in the video below, cocorico is more of an interjection, a cry for victory, and an expression of national pride, as the Gallic rooster is the symbol of France: 

Cocorico, bleu, blanc, rouge, pour nous les Nubians, pour la France

Cock-a-doodle-doo, blue, white, red, for us the Nubians, for France

Caption 33, Les Nubians Présentation

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Here is a more clear-cut example of onomatopoeia from the animal kingdom. A “French-speaking” dog goes ouaf! while its “English-speaking” counterpart goes "woof!" In the video below, "Ouaf!" is the name of a production involving dancing—and perhaps barking—dogs:

Des chiens dansants dans "Ouaf!"

Dancing dogs in "Woof!"

Caption 49, Extr@ Ep. 3 - Sam a un rendez-vous - Part 7

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Onomatopoeic words are not limited to representing animal noises. They can also mimic sounds of nature, such as plouf (splash), describing something falling into the water. Plouf is used as a noun in this video:

On fait un petit plouf et on se retrouve demain même heure

We're making a little splash and we're meeting again same time tomorrow

Caption 57, Le Mans TV Mon Village - Malicorne - Part 3

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Onomatopeoic words can also convey manmade sounds, such as loud explosions:

Et ça fait quoi le nucléaire pour les gens? -Ça fait boum!

And what does nuclear energy do to people? -It goes boom!

Caption 49, Manif du Mois Fukushima plus jamais ça

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The sound of gunfire, pan (bang), certainly qualifies as onomatopoeia:

Le fusil fait pan, pan, pan.

The gun goes bang, bang, bang.

However, in the example below, the focus is not so much on sound but instantaneity, making pan an interjection. The subject of this video is famous French photographer Cartier-Bresson, who knew when to click the shutter at just the right time:

Il y a une méditation. Dans la photo, il n'y en a pas. Pan!

It involves meditation. With photography, there is none. Snap!

Caption 21, Le Journal Le photographe Cartier-Bresson

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Like pan, the word paf will translate differently depending on whether we are talking about an onomatopoeia or an interjection. In the first instance, paf conveys the sound of something heavy hitting a hard surface:

Paf! Le livre est tombé par terre.

Thwack! The book fell on the floor.

In the second, paf is an interjection that conveys swift action. In this video, Sophie talks about quickly snipping cuttings in a public garden… without permission:

Paf! Tu coupes.

Bam! You cut.

Caption 44, Sophie et Patrice La maison verte

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Still with scissors in hand, Sophie uses tac instead of paf to imitate the snipping sound:

Tac! Je coupe et...

Snip! I cut and...

Caption 47, Sophie et Patrice La maison verte

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In another video, Sophie again uses tac to convey the sound of her homemade lamp turning on: Tac! (Click!)

Regarde, est-ce que ça marche? Tac!

Look, is it working? Click!

Caption 43, Sophie et Patrice Les lampes de Sophie - Part 2

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In yet another situation, Sophie says tac tac tac (tap tap tap) while making madeleines to imitate the sound of breaking eggs:

Tu prends tes trois œufs, tac tac tac.

You take your three eggs, tap tap tap.

Caption 40, Sophie et Patrice Les madeleines

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Fortunately, Sophie kept her fingers intact during all her ventures. If she hadn't, she might have used the interjections ouille! (ouch!) or aïe! (ow!)

Ouille là, c'est chaud, là!

Ouch, that's hot, there!

Caption 2, Il était une fois: Les Amériques 1. Les premiers Américains - Part 5

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Aïe! Mais pourquoi tu as fait ça?

Ow! Why did you do that?

Caption 11, Extr@ Ep. 10 - Annie proteste - Part 8

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Had she cut herself, she might have had to call on emergency services, with their distinctive sirens:

Pin-pon! Pin-pon!

Woo-woo! Woo-woo!  [sound made by a two-tone siren]

Caption 2, Les zooriginaux Repos corsé - Part 2

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As this lesson draws to a close, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief—ouf! (phew!)—like the princess in the video below:

La princesse était très soulagée. -Ouf! Celle-là, je ne la reverrai pas de si tôt.

The princess was very relieved. -Phew! I won't be seeing that one again any time soon.

Captions 11-12, Contes de fées Le roi grenouille - Part 2

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For more examples of onomatopoeia, you may want to explore Yabla's animated series or simply browse through our video library. Ouf! La leçon est terminée! 

How do you pronounce ville (city) and fille (daughter)? In all logic, the pronunciation should be the same, but is it? The French language has its idiosyncrasies that make learning interesting and challenging at times. Words like ville, fille, fil, fils (city, daughter, thread, son) have their own stories to tell. Are you ready? 

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Words ending in -ille (with a double ll), such as brille (shines) and fille (girl/daughter), follow a specific pronunciation rule. The -ille sound is roughly equivalent to the sound “ee-yuh” in English, as in “giddy-up."

Listen to Sam, who sees the sunny side of life in this video, and pay attention to the way he says brille:

Le soleil brille dehors.

The sun is shining outside.

Caption 17, Extr@ Ep. 9 - Du boulot pour Sam et Nico! - Part 1

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Most words ending in -ille end with same “ee-yuh” sound. Hence, it’s no surprise to hear that brille (shines) rhymes with fille (girl/daughter):

Sa fille lui expliqua et lui demanda conseil.

His daughter explained it to him and sought his counsel.

Caption 42, Contes de fées Le roi grenouille - Part 1

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However, you guessed it, there are exceptions! No need to panic, though, as there are only three: mille, tranquille, ville (thousand, tranquil, city). In these words, the -ille is pronounced differently, like “eel” in English. (Note, however, that the word for "eel," anguille, rhymes with fille!)

Listen to the way mille, tranquille, and ville are pronounced in the following videos:

Notre amour brillera de mille feux

Our love will shine a thousand fires

Caption 10, Alsace 20 Colonel Reyel en session live acoustique!

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L'avantage, c'est qu'on peut s'y promener de façon vraiment tranquille

The advantage is that you can walk here in a really tranquil fashion

Caption 17, Antoine La Butte-aux-Cailles

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Nous sommes maintenant dans la vieille ville de Chartres

We are now in the old town of Chartres

Caption 6, Voyage en France La Ville de Chartres

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If a word ends in -ile, with a single l, this is no longer an issue, as you simply sound the l as you would normally.

Et des automobiles qui se suivent en file et défilent

And of automobiles that follow in line and drive past

Caption 15, Il était une fois: Les découvreurs 9. Galilée - Part 1

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The feminine noun la file (line) has a masculine homophone, le fil (thread/wire), with no e at the end. They both sound the same but mean different things:

la prêtresse grecque qui déroula son fil

the Greek priestess who unravelled her thread

Caption 9, d'Art d'Art "La mélancolie d'une belle journée" - Chirico

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In the plural form, le fil becomes les fils (threads/wires), and they share the same pronunciation since the s in the plural is always silent:

Bon, enfin. -Et les fils?

Well, anyway. -And the wires?

Caption 1, Sophie et Patrice Les lampes de Sophie - Part 2

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So far so good. However, the word fils has another trick up its sleeve! Les fils (threads/wires) could also be les fils (sons). Fortunately, these two words are easy to tell apart as they have a different pronunciation. When talking about les fils (sons), the l is silent while the final s is pronounced.

Il transmit à ses fils tout ce qu'il possédait.

He passed on to his sons everything he possessed.

Caption 5, Contes de fées Le chat botté - Part 1

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Furthermore, le fils (the son) also ends in a sounded s, even though it’s singular:

Il cherche son fils à l'école.

He looks/is looking for his son at school.

Caption 9, Farid et Hiziya Chercher et trouver

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The only way to tell how to pronounce fils—and whether it's referring to threads, wires, or sons—is through context. 

Merci mille fois (many thanks) for following le fil (the thread) of this newsletter!