enceint
/ɑ̃.sɛ̃/
The English word "pregnant" can be translated into French using enceint. Wiktionary also lists plein and en gestation.
Meaning: carrying developing offspring within the body (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| enceint | /ɑ̃.sɛ̃/ |
| plein | /plɛ̃/ |
| en gestation |
These terms are used to describe the state of carrying developing offspring within the body. When speaking about humans, the standard adjective is used, whereas for animals, a different phrase is preferred.
Which one should you use?
The term en gestation is used specifically for animals, while enceint is the standard term used when referring to humans.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the word must agree with the gender and number of the subject. The feminine form is enceinte and the masculine plural form is enceints.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.sɛ̃/ (2 syllables)
When do people say it?
The most common way to say "to be pregnant" is to use the phrase Être enceinte. Another common way to express this is the phrase Attendre un bébé, which translates to "to be expecting a baby".
Did you know?
- While enceinte describes a pregnant person, the word enceinte also means 'city wall' or 'enclosure' in French.
- The word plein means 'full' and is used for pregnant animals, but using it for a human woman is considered very vulgar or slang.
- The word enceinte shares its roots with the word for a protective wall or enclosure, from the Latin 'incingere' meaning 'to surround or gird'.
Examples in context
- Tu es déjà enceinte.You're already pregnant.This sentence uses the form enceint.Tatoeba #6382971 by Eadlyn0823, translation #6382855 by OsoHombre
- Tu n'es pas enceinte.You're not pregnant.Tatoeba #6384368 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6384137 by OsoHombre
- Ma sœur est enceinte.My sister is pregnant.Tatoeba #8354406 by felix63, translation #10658789 by Lebensfreude
- Elle est enceinte de cinq mois.She is five months pregnant.
- Nous attendons un bébé ! C'est une grande joie pour nous.We are expecting a baby! It's a great joy for us.
- Elle est en cloque, elle attend son premier enfant !She's pregnant, expecting her first child!
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about a coworker.
- LucasEst-ce que Julie est enceinte ?Is Julie pregnant?
- EmmaOui, elle est enceinte de trois mois.Yes, she is three months pregnant.
- LucasC'est une super nouvelle pour elle !That's great news for her!
- EmmaC'est vrai, elle est très heureuse.It's true, she is very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnant” translations and entries enceint, plein, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, enceint, gestation, plein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
