penché
The English phrase "bent over" is translated into French as penché.
To describe the action of bending over, French speakers typically use the reflexive verb se pencher. The word penché can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who is inclined forward and downward from the waist. You can specify the direction of the movement by adding en avant to create penché en avant, which means "bent forward".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because penché functions as an adjective or a past participle, it must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use penché for masculine singular subjects, penchée for feminine singular subjects, penchés for masculine plural subjects and penchées for feminine plural subjects.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'bent over' to describe a posture, French uses the adjective penché to describe the state of a ship that is tilting or listing to one side during a storm.
- In a figurative sense, if you say a person is penché sur un dossier, it does not mean they are physically leaning over a file, but rather that they are intensely focused on or studying it.
- While penché describes bending over, the term courbé is specifically used for a permanent or age-related stoop, such as the 'bent' back of an elderly person.
Examples in context
- Je me suis penché pour prendre le stylo.I bent over to take the pen.This sentence shows the use of penché for picking something up.Tatoeba #12453630 by lbdx, translation #3835270 by Dejo
- Il s'est penché en avant pour lacer sa chaussure.He bent over to tie his shoe.This sentence shows the use of penché for tying a shoe.Tatoeba #12461023 by lbdx, translation #2258268 by _undertoad
- Il s'est penché pour voir des insectes dans le parterre de fleurs.He bent over to see insects in the flowerbed.This sentence shows the use of penché for looking at something in a flowerbed.Tatoeba #12726330 by lbdx, translation #294504 by CK
- Il s'est penché en avant pour ramasser le livre tombé.He bent over to pick up the fallen book
- Elle s'est courbée en avant pour nouer ses lacets.She bent over to tie her shoelaces
- Ils étaient inclinés vers l'avant, examinant les détails de l'œuvre d'art.They were bent over, inspecting the details of the artwork
- Il s'est rapidement baissé pour attacher ses lacets.He quickly bent over to tie his shoelaces
- Elle s'est courbée pour ramasser les clés tombées.She bent over to pick up the fallen keys
- Ils se sont tous penchés en avant, essayant d'obtenir une meilleure vue.They all inclined forward, trying to get a better view
- Je me suis donné du mal pour aider mon ami à déménagerI bent over backwards to help my friend with their move
- Elle s'est penchée en avant et lui a chuchoté quelque chose à l'oreilleShe bent over and whispered something in his ear
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A sunny afternoon in a garden.
- ManonLucas, pourquoi es-tu si penché sur la terre ?Lucas, why are you bent over the dirt so much?
- LucasJe cherche mes clés qui sont tombées.I am looking for my keys that fell.
- ManonJe vais t'aider à les trouver.I am going to help you find them.
- LucasMerci Manon, c'est très gentil.Thanks Manon, that is very kind.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
