sain
/sɛ̃/
The English word wholesome can be translated into French as sain.
sain is used to mean decent, innocuous or sweet. While it can be used in a moral sense to mean wholesome, it is most commonly used to describe things that are healthy for the body or mind.
Meaning: decent, innocuous, sweet (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes based on gender and number: sain is the masculine singular, saine is the feminine singular, sains is the masculine plural and saines is the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ̃/
Did you know?
- The French word sain is a direct ancestor of the English word 'sane'. Both terms evolved from the same root meaning 'healthy' or 'whole'.
- The word sain is a homophone of saint, which means 'saint' or 'holy'. In spoken French, the only way to distinguish them is through the context of the sentence.
- To describe something as 'wholesome' in the sense of being 'heartwarming' or 'pure', French speakers might instead use mignon or touchant, as sain can sound too clinical.
Examples in context
- Je veux manger quelque chose de sain.I want to eat something wholesome.This sentence shows how to use sain when talking about eating.Tatoeba #12451145 by lbdx, translation #10646888 by AlanF_US
- Au-delà d'une saine discipline, ménage-toi.Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.This sentence uses saine in the context of discipline.Tatoeba #1491529 by sacredceltic, translation #1490954 by BraveSentry
- Elle prépare des repas sains pour sa famille.She prepares wholesome meals for her family.This sentence demonstrates the use of sains when describing meals.Tatoeba #10641165 by lbdx, translation #312866 by CK
- Cette nourriture est saine et équilibrée.This food is wholesome and balanced.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are discussing a new friendship at a cafe.
- GabrielJe trouve que son entourage est très sain.I find that her circle is very wholesome.
- LéaOui, elle semble vraiment épanouie avec eux.Yes, she seems really happy with them.
- GabrielC'est important pour son équilibre.It is important for her balance.
- LéaTout à fait, Gabriel.Absolutely, Gabriel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
