étouffer

suffocate

verb eh-too-FEH Less Common

Also means

stifle

Usage Note

Étouffer describes both physical suffocation and figurative suppression, as in étouffer un scandale ('to hush up a scandal') or étouffer un cri ('to stifle a cry'). The related noun étouffement means 'suffocation' or 'stifling heat'. In Cajun/Creole cuisine, étouffée (the past participle) names a dish cooked in a smothered, covered style.

Examples

"La fumée m'étouffait."

Natural Translation

The smoke was suffocating me.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Passé Composé vs Imparfait: When to Use Each

Passé composé tells the story; imparfait paints the scene. Use this 2-second flowchart, trigger words, and paired examples to pick the right French tense.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Faire in French: To Make, To Do, and More

Faire in French means more than make and do: master faire vs rendre, weather and sports idioms, the causative, and the mistakes English speakers make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Silent Letters: The CaReFuL Rule

Final consonants in French are silent by default — except C, R, F, L. The CaReFuL rule, the silent -e, the plural-s trap, and liaison, explained simply.

June 4, 2026 5 min read