verb: se plaindre

ByFast French

“Se plaindre” means “to complain,” “to whinge” or “to moan.”

Conjugations in Present Tense and Passé Composé:

Present tense:

  • Je me plains (I complain)
  • Tu te plains (You complain)
  • Il/elle se plaint (He/she complains)
  • Nous nous plaignons (We complain)
  • Vous vous plaignez (You complain)
  • Ils/elles se plaignent (They complain)

Passé composé tense:

  • J’ai me suis plaint(e) (I complained)
  • Tu t’es plaint(e) (You complained)
  • Il/elle s’est plaint(e) (He/she complained)
  • Nous nous sommes plaint(e)s (We complained)
  • Vous vous êtes plaint(e)s (You complained)
  • Ils/elles se sont plaint(e)s (They complained)

Etymology:

The origin of “se plaindre” can be traced back to Latin, where the root “plangere” meant “to lament” or “to beat one’s chest.”

Idiomatic Expressions and Usage:

  1. Se plaindre comme un(e) malade: Literally meaning “to complain like a sick person,” this expression conveys excessive complaining.
  2. Ne pas se plaindre de: Translating to “not to complain about,” this phrase is used to express contentment or satisfaction with a situation.
  3. Se plaindre pour le plaisir de se plaindre: This idiom highlights complaining for the sake of complaining, suggesting a certain enjoyment in expressing dissatisfaction.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • g pronunciation

    ByFast French

    The letter “g” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “g” in the word “garage,” which is both a French word and an English word. Or it can be soft, like the last “g” in “garage.” How do you know whether a “g” will be hard…

  • Tel, Telle, Tels, Telles

    ByFast French

    In French, “tel” and its variations (“telle,” “tels,” “telles”) are used to mean “such” or “such a” in English. They are adjectives that agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Here’s a simple guide on how to use each form. 1. Tel (masculine singular) Use “tel” when describing a singular masculine noun….

  • to seem

    ByFast French

    The English verb to seem can be translated into French in several ways. The choice depends on the type of sentence and the tone. The most common forms are sembler, avoir l’air, paraître, and avoir l’impression de. Each has slightly different use and emphasis. 1) sembler sembler is the most direct translation of to seem….

  • Telling time

    ByFast French

    The french tell time in two ways. The common way for everyday speech. And the official way for timetables, tv guides, and train schedules. the 12-hour clock For ordinary life, the french use the 12-hour clock like english speakers do. But they say things a little differently. To ask the time, you say: To answer,…

  • à couteaux tirés

    ByFast French

    The French saying “à couteaux tirés” means literally “at knives drawn,” or “with knives drawn.” What it actually means is a situation of open war, or great tension, or great hostility, or diametrically opposed. The idiom dates back to the end of the 17th century. Historically, arguments were often “resolved” with knives or daggers. So…

  • |

    of course

    ByFast French

    The English phrase “of course” can be translated into French in several ways, depending on the context. Here are the most common expressions with usage examples and literal translations. Bien sûr Literal meaning: “Well sure” Évidemment Literal meaning: “Evidently” Naturellement Literal meaning: “Naturally” Bien entendu Literal meaning: “Well understood” Mais oui Literal meaning: “But yes”…