Literal translation
to make the pout
Meaning
to pout, sulk
Explanation
Bèbo means the pout, the sulky lip one makes by pushing out the mouth to show displeasure or annoyance, and faire la bèbo means exactly to pout, with no gap between the literal and the used sense. The expression is said of a child or an adult who, without voicing disagreement, shows it through a sulky twist of the face; it is often glossed in regional French as tu fais la bèbe, the final vowel varying between speakers. The register is familiar and affectionate, rarely reproachful, mostly used to comment with mild amusement on someone sulking without saying so. It joins other Provençal phrases built on faire plus a facial feature to describe a mood, such as faire lou mourre for sulking more openly. The closeness of bèbo to the general word for lip confirms that the image remains above all physical and gestural.