ahaner

Ahaner is a literary, somewhat archaic verb meaning to pant or groan repeatedly from physical exertion — heavy labor, climbing, straining under a weight. It appears mostly in descriptive literary prose rather than spoken French.

• Le paysan ahanait derrière sa charrue depuis l'aube. — The peasant panted and strained behind his plow since dawn.
• On l'entendait ahaner sous le poids des sacs de grain. — You could hear him groaning under the weight of the grain sacks.
• Les porteurs ahanaient en montant l'escalier escarpé. — The porters grunted with effort climbing the steep stairs.

Learners are unlikely to encounter or need this word in spoken French at all — it belongs to descriptive literary writing about hard physical labor, not casual conversation about being tired or out of breath (for that, use souffler or haleter).

Often confused with haleter.