Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| sain | /sɛ̃/ |
| en bonne santé |
In French, you choose between different forms based on whether you are describing a person's physical state or the nature of an object, habit or environment. For example, you might talk about les habitudes saines (healthy habits) or adopter un mode de vie sain (to adopt a healthy lifestyle).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en bonne santé literally translates to 'in good health'.
Which one should you use?
Use en bonne santé when describing a person's physical state of being healthy. Use sain when describing things such as food, habits, environments or a mental state.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sain changes to saine when it is used to modify a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using sain to describe a person's physical health. Instead, use en bonne santé to refer to a person's state of being.
Did you know?
- The word santé is used as a toast when clinking glasses, similar to 'cheers'. Instead of wishing for a drink, French speakers are literally wishing each other 'health'.
- The word sain is the direct ancestor of the English word 'sane'. While 'sane' now refers specifically to mental health, sain can describe both physical and mental soundness.
- The word sain shares the same ancient root as the English word 'sound', as seen in the term 'sound sleep' or 'of sound mind'.
Examples in context
- C'est sain et normal.It's healthy and normal.This sentence demonstrates how to use sain to describe something as healthy and normal.Tatoeba #1663739 by sacredceltic, translation #1663257 by Spamster
- Je suis en bonne santé.I'm healthy.This sentence shows how to use en bonne santé to describe a person.Tatoeba #427776 by dominiko, translation #259288 by CK
- Il est sain d'être fou.Being crazy is healthy.This sentence uses sain to describe a mental state.Tatoeba #462077 by sacredceltic, translation #392120 by Dorenda
- Je suis en bonne santé et je me sens bien.I am healthy and feeling good.
- Il est en état de santé satisfaisant après sa guérison.He is in a satisfactory state of health after his recovery.
- Je fais du sport tous les jours pour rester en forme.I exercise every day to stay healthy/in shape.
- Ma grand-mère est en pleine santé malgré son âge.My grandmother is healthy despite her age.
- 122 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are talking about their lifestyle choices.
- NathanJe veux rester sain et en forme.I want to stay healthy and fit.
- EmmaC'est important pour ton avenir, Nathan.It is important for your future, Nathan.
- NathanEst-ce que tu as un esprit sain ?Do you have a healthy mind?
- EmmaOui, je fais du yoga chaque jour.Yes, I do yoga every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “healthy” translations and entries sain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, sain, santé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
