Pleine

Pleine is the feminine singular form of the French adjective plein, meaning full, filled, or complete. It is used to describe nouns that are feminine and can denote something that is occupied, crowded, or contain a lot of something. Pleine typically contrasts with plein in gender and number (masculine plein, feminine pleine).

Etymology and forms: Pleine derives from Latin plenus, the source of related terms in many Romance languages. The full set of forms includes plein (masculine singular), pleine (feminine singular), pleins (masculine plural), and pleines (feminine plural). It can function both attributively (un sac plein) and predicatively (le sac est plein/pleine).

Usage and common expressions: Pleine appears in a variety of contexts. Examples include la pleine lune (the full moon), une bouteille pleine (a full bottle), des rues pleines de monde (streets full of people). It is also used in fixed expressions such as à pleine voix (in a loud voice) and à pleine vitesse (at full speed). The form plein can also be paired with de to express abundance, as in plein de surprises or plein d’énergie.

Semantic notes: The sense of pleine is primarily about fullness or completeness but can extend to figurative fullness, such as a “full schedule” or “full consciousness” (pleine conscience). The choice between pleine and plein depends on the gender and number of the noun it modifies. In many idioms, the phrase structure may affect fluid pronunciation and meaning.

See also: Plein (masculine counterpart), phrases with plein/de, and common French expressions using pleine.