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