occupées

Occupées is a French term that can function as the feminine plural form of the adjective occupé and as the feminine plural past participle of occuper. It agrees with feminine nouns and can express states of being occupied or busy. Examples: des chambres occupées (rooms that are occupied); des personnes occupées (people who are busy).

As an adjective meaning busy or engaged, occupées describes someone’s schedule or activities. Phrases such as elles sont occupées or ses tâches occupent son temps are common. It can also describe objects or spaces that are currently in use, such as une pièce occupée par des soldats or une salle occupée par des visiteurs.

In historical or political contexts, occupées often refers to territories or populations under the control of an occupying power. The standard terminology is pays occupés or territoires occupés. In French history, l’Occupation denotes the period of German control in France during World War II; discussions about that era frequently use the related sense of occupation to describe areas or communities under foreign authority.

Etymology and grammar: occupées derives from occupare, meaning to seize or possess. The form occupées is the feminine plural, with other forms including occupé (masc. sing.), occupée (fem. sing.), and occupés (masc. plur.). The word thus spans meanings from “busy” to “taken possession of,” depending on context.