propres

Propres is the plural form of the French adjective propre. It has two main senses depending on position: it can mean clean or tidy, or it can function to express possession or belonging when placed before a noun. The form is identical for masculine and feminine plural nouns.

Etymology and overview: Propre comes from Latin proprius, via Old French propre. In Modern French, its two primary senses—cleanliness and belonging—share the same spelling in the plural, so context is essential for interpretation.

Usage and examples: In the sense of cleanliness, propre describes a state or quality after the noun or as a predicate: "La cuisine est propre" (the kitchen is clean), "des objets propres" (clean objects). In the possessive or emphatic sense, it usually appears before the noun: "ma propre voiture" (my own car), "mes propres idées" (my own ideas). The plural form with a plural noun is: "mes propres voitures" (my own cars). A related construction is "propre à," meaning characteristic of or specific to: "ce problème est propre à l’enfant" (this problem is peculiar to the child).

Practical notes: When propre precedes the noun, it emphasizes ownership or a personal relation (my own). When it follows the noun, it generally describes a property like cleanliness. The plural form propre(s) does not change for gender in the masculine or feminine plural, remaining stricter to number rather than gender.

In usage, distinguishes between a physical state (clean) and a relational state (own), with context guiding the intended meaning.