/sifle/to whistleA1
- Family
- Group 1 — regular `-er`
- Takes
- a direct object · no object — With or without an object
Build map — what to memorise
These three pieces are learnt; every other tense is built from them.
Singular — the short stem
siffl-+-e -es -e
Plural — the nous stem
siffl-+-ons -ez -ent
siffl-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient
siffl-+-ant
Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms
siffl-+-e -es -e -ent
siffler-+-ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont
Futur stem + imparfait endings
siffler-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient
aller + infinitive
siffler
Takes avoir
avoir (present) + past participle
sifflé
Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle
sifflé
Conjugation
| I | je siffle/ʒə sifl/I whistle | /ʒə sifl/ | I whistle |
| you | tu siffles/ty sifl/you whistle | /ty sifl/ | you whistle |
| he/she | il siffle/il sifl/he whistles | /il sifl/ | he whistles |
| we | nous sifflons/nu siflɔ̃/we whistle | /nu siflɔ̃/ | we whistle |
| you | vous sifflez/vu sifle/you whistle | /vu sifle/ | you whistle |
| they | ils sifflent/il sifl/they whistle | /il sifl/ | they whistle |
Examples
- /ʒə sifl yn ʃɑ̃.sɔ̃/
Je siffle une chanson.I whistle a tune.
- /laʁ.bitʁ a si.fle/
L'arbitre a sifflé.The referee blew his whistle.
- /ʒə nə sɛ pa si.fle/
Je ne sais pas siffler.I can't whistle.
Set phrases
le siffletthe whistle
Notes
In a stadium, whistling means booing — French crowds whistle where English ones boo.