bégayer

stutter

verb beh-geh-YEH Rare

Also means

stammer

Usage Note

Bégayer describes involuntary speech repetition, and can be used literally (il bégaie depuis l'enfance) or figuratively for halting, hesitant speech. The noun bégaiement means stuttering or stammering. Note the spelling change: the y shifts in some conjugations, giving forms like je bégaie or je bégaye.

Examples

"Il bégayait chaque fois qu'il était nerveux."

Natural Translation

He stuttered every time he was nervous.

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