flâner
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stroll, wander, saunter, dawdle, loiter
/flɑ.ne/
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A leisurely French verb for strolling without a set goal, wasting time by dawdling, or letting a gaze, thought, or path drift gently.
Examples
Nous avons flâné dans les ruelles toute la matinée.
We wandered through the lanes all morning.
Il flâne en route au lieu de rentrer directement.
He dawdles on the way instead of going straight home.
Le chemin flâne entre les vignes avant le village.
The path meanders between the vines before the village.
Il flânait devant les vitrines sans rien acheter.
He was strolling past the shop windows without buying anything.
La conversation flânait d'un sujet à l'autre.
The conversation drifted from one subject to another.
Similar words
baguenauder
errer
musarder
traîner
vagabonder
errer
se perdre
glander
traîner
lanterner
Meanings
Examples
Le dimanche, elle flâne sur les quais avant de rentrer.
On Sunday, she strolls along the quays before going home.
Nous avons flâné dans les ruelles toute la matinée.
We wandered through the lanes all morning.
Les visiteurs flânent entre les étals du marché.
The visitors stroll among the market stalls.
J'aime flâner au hasard dans les vieux quartiers.
I like to wander at random through the old neighborhoods.
Il flânait devant les vitrines sans rien acheter.
He was strolling past the shop windows without buying anything.
Similar words
se promener
déambuler
errer
musarder
baguenauder
se balader
Examples
Arrête de flâner, le train part dans dix minutes.
Stop dawdling, the train leaves in ten minutes.
Il flâne en route au lieu de rentrer directement.
He dawdles on the way instead of going straight home.
Les enfants flânaient devant l'école après les cours.
The children were hanging around in front of the school after class.
Elle a flâné toute la journée sans ouvrir ses dossiers.
She idled all day without opening her files.
Ne flâne pas au bureau quand le travail s'accumule.
Do not waste time at the office when work is piling up.
Similar words
traîner
lambiner
lanterner
paresser
glander
musarder
Examples
Son regard flânait sur les rayons de la bibliothèque.
His gaze wandered over the library shelves.
Mon esprit flâne encore parmi les souvenirs d'été.
My mind still drifts among summer memories.
Une odeur de café flânait dans le couloir.
A smell of coffee drifted in the corridor.
Le chemin flâne entre les vignes avant le village.
The path meanders between the vines before the village.
La conversation flânait d'un sujet à l'autre.
The conversation drifted from one subject to another.
Similar words
errer
vagabonder
divaguer
se perdre
traîner
glisser
Etymology
From Norman French flan(n)er, later standard French flâner, probably from Old Norse flana, meaning to rush or wander about rashly.
FAQ
flâner means to stroll without a fixed goal, often for pleasure, and can also mean to dawdle or drift figuratively.
Is flâner the same as marcher?
No. marcher is ordinary walking, while flâner stresses wandering slowly and without a practical destination.
Can flâner sound negative?
Yes. In contexts about work, school, or punctuality, flâner can mean dawdling or wasting time.
What preposition follows flâner?
flâner often appears with dans, sur, le long de, or devant, as in flâner dans les rues.
What is the noun from flâner?
The activity is flânerie, and a person who does it is a flâneur or flâneuse.
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