Plein is probably the first word that comes to mind when you want to say “full” in French. But just like in English, there are many nuances to being "full" – whether it's a full stomach, a full schedule, or a full heart. Knowing these different options will make your French sound much more natural and precise. Let’s dive into 9 different ways to express “full” in French, covering various situations and contexts!

The standard 'full' (or 'complete') – plein/pleine

Plein(e) is the most common adjective in French for 'full' or 'complete'.

As an adjective, plein(e) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll encounter it as: * plein - masculine singular (e.g., un verre plein) * pleine - feminine singular (e.g., une lune pleine) * pleins - masculine plural (e.g., des sacs pleins) * pleines - feminine plural (e.g., des assiettes pleines)

It's a versatile adjective used in a wide range of contexts, from describing physical objects to more abstract concepts, and is appropriate in both formal and informal settings.

Beyond simply meaning 'full', plein(e) is very frequently used with the preposition de to mean 'full of' something.

When plein(e) is followed by de, it indicates that something is filled with a specific substance or quality. For instance, plein de joie means 'full of joy', and un verre plein d'eau means 'a glass full of water'. Note that de contracts to d' before a vowel or mute 'h'.

So, Le frigo est plein means 'The fridge is full', while Le frigo est plein de nourriture means 'The fridge is full of food'. Similarly, La salle est pleine means 'The room is full', and La salle est pleine de monde means 'The room is full of people'.

There are also several idiomatic expressions where plein is used. For example, en plein air means 'outdoors' or 'in the open air', and en pleine forme means 'in great shape' or 'in excellent health'. En plein jour means 'in broad daylight'.

Understanding the context usually makes it clear whether plein(e) refers to a physical state of being full or is part of a common expression. The presence of de is a strong indicator of 'full of'.

French speakers often use plein informally to mean 'a lot' or 'many', especially in spoken language, as a substitute for beaucoup. For example, Il y a plein de choses à faire ('There are lots of things to do') is very common.

💡 * La bouteille est pleine. (The bottle is full.)

J'ai la tête pleine d'idées. (My head is full of ideas.)

Nous avons fait le plein d'essence. (We filled up with gas.)

Le stade était plein de supporters. (The stadium was full of supporters.)

Elle est en pleine forme après ses vacances. (She is in great shape after her holidays.)

The 'filled' or 'full' (often implying a process) – rempli/remplie

The 'filled' or 'full' (often implying a process) – rempli/remplie

Rempli/remplie is a common French adjective meaning 'filled' or 'full.' It comes from the verb remplir, which means 'to fill' or 'to complete.'

While plein(e) also means 'full,' rempli(e) often carries the connotation of having been filled or made full through a process. Think of rempli as the past participle of remplir (to fill), emphasizing the action or result of filling. Plein can simply describe a state of fullness without necessarily implying a prior action.

You'll frequently encounter rempli(e) when talking about containers, spaces, or even schedules that have been filled. For example, a glass that has been poured to its brim, a room that has been filled with people, or a book filled with stories.

As an adjective, rempli agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll see remplie for feminine singular, remplis for masculine plural, and remplies for feminine plural.

Rempli(e) can also be used figuratively to describe something full of emotions, qualities, or abstract concepts. For instance, a heart rempli de joie (full of joy) or a life remplie de défis (full of challenges).

Remember, when you use rempli(e), you're often hinting at the process of becoming full or the fact that something has been filled, making it a nuanced choice over plein(e) in many contexts.

💡 * La salle était remplie de monde. (The room was filled with people.)

Mon verre est rempli d'eau. (My glass is filled with water.)

Elle a une vie remplie d'aventures. (She has a life full of adventures.)

Le document est rempli de fautes. (The document is full of errors.)

Les étagères sont remplies de livres. (The shelves are filled with books.)

The 'full' (especially after eating) – rassasié/rassasiée

When you've finished a delicious meal and feel perfectly content, the French word you're looking for to express being 'full' is rassasié (masculine) or rassasiée (feminine).

This adjective specifically describes the state of feeling satisfied after eating, indicating that you've had enough food and are no longer hungry. It's the equivalent of 'satiated' or 'full up' in English.

As an adjective, rassasié/rassasiée must agree in gender and number with the subject it describes. Remember to add an 'e' for feminine subjects and an 's' for plural subjects.

Here are its various forms: rassasié (masculine singular), rassasiée (feminine singular), rassasiés (masculine plural), and rassasiées (feminine plural).

You'll almost always use rassasié/rassasiée with the verb être (to be) to form phrases like Je suis rassasié(e) (I am full).

It's important to distinguish rassasié from plein. While plein can also mean 'full,' it refers to something being physically full (e.g., un verre plein - a full glass, une salle pleine - a full room). Rassasié is exclusively for a person feeling full from food.

So, when talking about feeling full after a meal, rassasié/rassasiée is the correct and most natural French word to use.

💡 * Je suis rassasié après ce délicieux dîner. (I am full after this delicious dinner.)

Elle est rassasiée et ne peut plus rien manger. (She is full and can't eat anything more.)

Nous sommes tous rassasiés après le festin. (We are all full after the feast.)

Les enfants étaient rassasiés et contents. (The children were full and happy.)

Vous avez bien mangé ? Vous êtes rassasié(e)s ? (Did you eat well? Are you full?)

The 'full to capacity' or 'saturated' – saturé/saturée

The 'full to capacity' or 'saturated' – saturé/saturée

Saturé/saturée means 'saturated' or 'full to capacity' in French, often implying a state of being completely filled, overloaded, or overwhelmed.

As an adjective, saturé (masculine singular) and saturée (feminine singular) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The plural forms are saturés (masculine plural) and saturées (feminine plural).

It's frequently used to describe various situations, such as congested traffic (circulation saturée), an overloaded network (réseau saturé), or even feeling overwhelmed with information or emotions (je suis saturé d'informations or je suis saturé de travail).

💡 * La ligne téléphonique est saturée. (The phone line is saturated/busy.)

Le marché est saturé de nouveaux produits. (The market is saturated with new products.)

Je me sens saturé d'informations après cette réunion. (I feel saturated with information after this meeting.)

Les couleurs de cette photo sont très saturées. (The colors in this photo are very saturated.)

Après une semaine de travail intense, je suis saturé. (After an intense week of work, I am overwhelmed/burnt out.)

The 'full' or 'overflowing' (often for a place or emotions) – comble

The French word comble translates to 'full' or 'overflowing,' often implying a state of being completely filled, whether physically or figuratively.

It's frequently used to describe a place that is packed or at capacity. Think of a concert hall with no empty seats or a basket laden with fruit.

Beyond physical spaces, comble is powerful for conveying a peak or ultimate state of emotions or situations. It suggests a point where something cannot be more intense or complete.

You'll often encounter it in expressions like le comble de la joie (the height of joy) or le comble de l'horreur (the epitome of horror), highlighting an extreme degree of something.

Note that comble can function both as an adjective (e.g., une salle comble - a full room) and as a noun (e.g., le comble - the height/peak/last straw), adding to its versatility.

Ultimately, comble signifies a culmination – the most or ultimate extent of something, making it a nuanced word for advanced learners.

💡 * La salle était comble pour le spectacle. (The hall was full for the show.)

C'était le comble de la joie pour elle. (It was the height of joy for her.)

Pour comble d'infortune, il a plu toute la journée. (To top off the misfortune, it rained all day.)

Trouver une place de parking était le comble du bonheur ce matin. (Finding a parking space was the ultimate happiness this morning.)

The 'full of liquid' or 'gorged' – gorgé/gorgée

The French adjective gorgé (masculine singular) or gorgée (feminine singular) literally translates to 'gorged,' 'full,' or 'swollen' with something, typically a liquid. It comes from the verb gorger, meaning 'to gorge' or 'to fill to the brim.'

Its most direct application describes something that is completely saturated or brimming with liquid. Think of a sponge full of water, a fruit bursting with juice, or even ground soaked after heavy rain. This usage emphasizes a state of being completely filled.

Beyond literal liquids, gorgé/gorgée is frequently used metaphorically to describe a state of being full of emotions, light, or even sounds. For instance, eyes 'gorged with tears' or a voice 'gorged with emotion' convey a deep, overwhelming sense of feeling. Similarly, 'gorged with sun' can describe ripe fruit or a sun-drenched landscape.

As an adjective, gorgé/gorgée must always agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Understanding its context – whether literal saturation or metaphorical abundance – is key to using it correctly and appreciating its evocative power in French.

💡 * Une éponge gorgée d'eau. (A sponge gorged with water.)

Des fruits gorgés de soleil. (Fruits gorged with sun - implying ripe/sweet from sun.)

Elle avait les yeux gorgés de larmes. (She had eyes full of tears.)

Un ciel gorgé de nuages orageux. (A sky full of storm clouds.)

Sa voix était gorgée d'émotion. (Her voice was full of emotion.)

The 'stuffed' or 'packed' (colloquial) – bourré/bourrée

The adjective bourré (masculine) or bourrée (feminine) is most commonly used in colloquial French to mean 'drunk'.

Beyond 'drunk,' bourré/bourrée can also colloquially describe being 'stuffed' with food (like after a big meal) or a place being 'packed' or 'crammed' with people or things.

As an adjective, bourré/bourrée agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example, you would say il est bourré for a man who is drunk, and elle est bourrée for a woman.

💡 * Il était complètement bourré après la fête. (He was completely drunk after the party.)

J'étais bourrée de chocolat après Pâques. (I was stuffed with chocolate after Easter.)

La salle de concert était bourrée de monde. (The concert hall was packed with people.)

Cette voiture est bourrée de gadgets. (This car is packed with gadgets.)

The 'full to bursting' or 'packed to the rafters' – plein à craquer

The French expression plein à craquer literally means 'full to bursting' or 'packed to the rafters.' It's used to describe something that is completely full, often to an extreme degree.

You'll most often hear plein à craquer when talking about places or containers that are extremely crowded or filled to their maximum capacity. Think of a subway train during rush hour, a concert hall, or a suitcase stuffed with clothes.

This phrase goes beyond simply plein (full); it adds an intense visual or auditory sense of something being so full that it might 'crack' or burst. It conveys a strong sense of overflow or extreme density.

Grammatically, plein à craquer functions as an adjective phrase and is invariable. It always follows the noun it modifies or is used with verbs like être or paraître.

💡 * Le stade était plein à craquer pour le match. (The stadium was packed to the rafters for the match.)

Mon sac à dos est plein à craquer de livres. (My backpack is full to bursting with books.)

La boîte de nuit était pleine à craquer samedi soir. (The nightclub was packed Saturday night.)

Après les soldes, le magasin était plein à craquer de clients. (After the sales, the store was full to bursting with customers.)

The 'full to the brim' – plein à ras bord

The French expression plein à ras bord literally translates to 'full to the brim' or 'filled to the edge'. It's used to describe something that is completely full, often to the point of overflowing or being packed tightly.

Let's break down its components: plein means 'full', à means 'to' or 'at', ras refers to a level or the brim, and bord means 'edge' or 'rim'. Together, they paint a vivid picture of something filled right up to its very limit.

Its most straightforward application is for containers holding liquids or solids. Think of a glass filled to the very top, a basket overflowing with fruit, or a box packed with items. In these contexts, plein à ras bord emphasizes the absolute fullness.

Beyond physical containers, plein à ras bord can also describe places that are extremely crowded or packed with people. For example, a concert hall, a train, or a market. Figuratively, it can even refer to a state of being completely overwhelmed or brimming with an emotion, though this usage is less common than for physical fullness.

For describing crowded places specifically, you might also hear the adjective bondé(e) (packed, crowded) which is a close synonym for a location being plein à ras bord. Another informal way to say a place is very full is il y a du monde (there are a lot of people).

💡 * Le verre est plein à ras bord. (The glass is full to the brim.)

Le train était plein à ras bord de passagers. (The train was packed to the brim with passengers.)

J'ai rempli ma valise pleine à ras bord avant le voyage. (I filled my suitcase to the brim before the trip.)

La salle de concert était pleine à ras bord pour le spectacle. (The concert hall was packed to the brim for the show.)

Son cœur était plein à ras bord de joie. (His heart was full to the brim with joy.)

Are there other ways to say 'full' in French?

Are there other ways to say “full” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “full” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire plein en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for plein on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about being full or things being full.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of “fullness,” or words about being full in French, the WordReference entry for plein is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of an old French proverb: Le ventre plein est ennemi de l'étude. (A full belly is the enemy of study.)

9 ways to say "full" in French