Mouillé is likely the first word you learned for “wet” in French. But did you know there are many other ways to express this common state?

Whether you're describing a rainy day, a soaked shirt, or even just a damp towel, having a variety of words for 'wet' will make your French more precise and vibrant.

Let's explore 9 different French words and phrases for “wet” and discover the perfect context for each one!

The standard and most common way to say 'wet' – mouillé/mouillée

The standard and most common way to say 'wet' – mouillé/mouillée

Mouillé(e) is the most basic and widely used French word for 'wet'.

Like many French adjectives, mouillé changes its ending to agree in gender and number with the noun it describes: * mouillé - for a masculine singular noun (e.g., un t-shirt mouillé - a wet t-shirt)* mouillée - for a feminine singular noun (e.g., une serviette mouillée - a wet towel)* mouillés - for masculine plural nouns or a group of mixed genders (e.g., des vêtements mouillés - wet clothes)* mouillées - for feminine plural nouns (e.g., des chaussures mouillées - wet shoes)

This adjective can be applied to almost anything that has come into contact with water or another liquid, making it damp or saturated.

From hair and clothes to the ground or a document, mouillé describes a state of being physically wet.

It can imply anything from slightly damp to completely soaked, depending on the context. Its versatility makes it the primary choice when you want to express 'wet' in French.

For example, if you've been caught in the rain, your hair would be mouillés (if referring to the strands, masculine plural) or your coat mouillé (if masculine singular).

While most commonly used for water, mouillé can also refer to other liquids. For instance, un sol mouillé de café (a floor wet with coffee).

It’s a straightforward adjective, and agreement rules are generally consistent. Just remember to match the ending to the noun's gender and number.

Compared to humide (damp/humid), mouillé distinctly refers to something actively having liquid on or in it, making it the most direct translation for 'wet'.

💡 * Mes cheveux sont mouillés. (My hair is wet.)

• La serviette est mouillée. (The towel is wet.)
• Ne t'assieds pas, le banc est mouillé. (Don't sit down, the bench is wet.)
• J'ai marché dans l'herbe mouillée. (I walked in the wet grass.)
• Ses vêtements étaient complètement mouillés. (His/Her clothes were completely wet.)

For something that is 'damp' or 'moist' – humide

For something that is “damp” or “moist” – humide

When you want to describe something as damp or moist in French, the most common and versatile word you'll use is humide.

Humide can be applied to a wide range of things, from a towel that hasn't fully dried to the air on a muggy day. Think of it as the general go-to adjective for anything that isn't completely dry but isn't necessarily wet either.

It's also frequently used to talk about weather or climate. For example, a humid climate would be described as un climat humide.

While primarily describing a physical state, humide can sometimes carry a slightly negative connotation, implying a lack of freshness or a sensation of chilliness, especially when referring to dampness indoors.

You might hear phrases like rendre humide (to make damp/moist) or être humide (to be damp/moist). It’s an indispensable word for describing the environment around you.

💡 * La serviette est encore humide. (The towel is still damp.)

• Il fait très humide aujourd'hui. (It's very humid today.)
• Mes chaussettes sont humides après la pluie. (My socks are damp after the rain.)
• Le mur était humide à cause de l'infiltration. (The wall was damp because of the infiltration.)
• Ces légumes doivent être conservés dans un endroit frais et humide. (These vegetables should be kept in a cool, moist place.)

When something is 'soaked' or 'drenched' – trempé/trempée

To say something is 'soaked' or 'drenched' in French, you'll use the adjective trempé (masculine singular) or trempée (feminine singular).

As an adjective, trempé/trempée must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll see trempés for masculine plural and trempées for feminine plural.

One of the most common uses for trempé/trempée is to describe someone or something that has been caught in the rain and is completely wet.

It can also be used for anything that is completely saturated with any liquid, such as a cloth soaked in water or a cookie dipped in milk.

The key idea with trempé/trempée is complete saturation. It implies being thoroughly wet, not just damp, often to the point of dripping.

💡 *Je suis trempé. (I am soaked.)
*Elle était trempée par la pluie. (She was drenched by the rain.)
*Le sol est trempé. (The ground is soaked.)
*Nos vêtements étaient trempés. (Our clothes were drenched.)
*Après la baignade, les enfants étaient tous trempés. (After swimming, the children were all soaked.)

To describe something that has 'absorbed' a liquid – imbibé/imbibée

The French adjective imbibé/imbibée (and its plural forms imbibés/imbibées) is used to describe something that has thoroughly absorbed or soaked up a liquid.

As an adjective, imbibé must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use imbibé for masculine singular nouns, imbibée for feminine singular, imbibés for masculine plural, and imbibées for feminine plural.

It is frequently used to describe objects like sponges, cloths, paper, or soil that have become saturated with water, oil, or any other fluid.

Beyond literal absorption, imbibé can also be used figuratively to mean 'steeped in' or 'permeated by' an idea, a culture, or a feeling, suggesting deep influence.

💡 *L'éponge est complètement imbibée d'eau. (The sponge is completely soaked with water.)
*La terre était imbibée par la pluie. (The ground was soaked by the rain.)
*Ses vêtements étaient imbibés de sueur après le sport. (His clothes were soaked with sweat after sports.)
*La pâte est imbibée de sirop. (The pastry is soaked in syrup.)
*Elle est une personne imbibée de culture classique. (She is a person steeped in classical culture.)

Often used for something 'soggy' or 'waterlogged' (like ground or paper) – détrempé/détrempée

Détrempé/détrempée is an adjective in French used to describe something that is thoroughly soaked, soggy, or waterlogged.

It's commonly applied to things that have absorbed a lot of liquid, losing their original texture or firmness, such as ground, paper, fabric, or even certain foods.

Like many French adjectives, détrempé must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use détrempé for masculine singular nouns and détrempée for feminine singular nouns. The plural forms are détrempés and détrempées.

While mouillé simply means 'wet,' détrempé implies a deeper saturation, often to the point of being soft, mushy, or damaged by the liquid. Think of the difference between a slightly wet cloth and a completely soaked, heavy one.

Imagine a newspaper left out in the rain, a piece of bread dipped too long in soup, or a garden path after a heavy downpour – these are perfect situations for détrempé.

💡 * Le jardin est tout détrempé après la pluie. (The garden is all waterlogged after the rain.)

• J'ai laissé mon cahier sous la fenêtre ouverte, il est complètement détrempé. (I left my notebook under the open window, it's completely soaked.)
• La pâte à tarte était détrempée et impossible à travailler. (The pie crust was soggy and impossible to work with.)
• Ses chaussures étaient détrempées par la boue. (His shoes were soaked through with mud.)

Specifically means 'waterlogged' or 'full of water' – gorgé d'eau

The French phrase gorgé d'eau specifically translates to 'waterlogged' or 'full of water,' emphasizing a state of complete saturation. It's a precise term to describe something thoroughly soaked.

This expression is commonly used to describe objects or materials that have absorbed a significant amount of water. Think of typical examples like a sponge, soil, clothes after a wash, or even fruit that is particularly juicy.

It is important to note that gorgé d'eau is rarely used to describe a person feeling 'full of water' (e.g., after drinking too much). Its application is almost exclusively for inanimate objects or natural elements that literally absorb and hold water.

The word gorgé originates from gorge, meaning 'throat' or 'gullet.' This etymology suggests something that has been completely filled up, much like a throat full of liquid, hence the implication of being 'stuffed' or 'saturated' with water.

💡 * La terre est gorgée d'eau après l'orage. (The ground is waterlogged after the storm.)

• Ces éponges sont gorgées d'eau. (These sponges are full of water.)
• Les tomates étaient gorgées d'eau et très juteuses. (The tomatoes were full of water and very juicy.)
• Le linge était gorgé d'eau après le lavage. (The laundry was waterlogged after washing.)

For something 'dripping' or 'streaming' with water – ruisselant/ruisselante

The French adjective ruisselant (masculine) or ruisselante (feminine) is used to describe something that is 'dripping' or 'streaming' with water.

This word vividly conveys a strong sense of wetness, often implying a heavy flow or saturation, such as after a downpour, a rigorous workout, or coming out of the shower.

As an adjective, ruisselant must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll use ruisselant for masculine singular nouns, ruisselante for feminine singular, ruisselants for masculine plural, and ruisselantes for feminine plural.

💡 * Après la pluie, les feuilles étaient ruisselantes. (After the rain, the leaves were dripping.)

• Il était ruisselant de sueur après son entraînement. (He was streaming with sweat after his workout.)
• Ses cheveux, encore ruisselants, sentaient le shampoing. (Her hair, still dripping, smelled of shampoo.)
• Les murs de la grotte étaient ruisselants d'eau. (The cave walls were streaming with water.)

Another way to say 'dripping wet' or 'oozing' – dégoulinant/dégoulinante

The French adjective dégoulinant (masculine) and dégoulinante (feminine) offers a vivid way to describe something that is “dripping wet” or “oozing.”

This term evokes a strong visual of liquid flowing or running down from a surface, often in excess. It's used when something is so saturated or full of liquid that it can't hold any more, and it's starting to drip or seep.

Whether it's a dish covered in a rich, “oozing” sauce, a person “dripping wet” from rain or sweat, or even something figuratively “oozing” with sentiment, dégoulinant paints a clear picture of liquid in motion.

💡 *Il est rentré dégoulinant de pluie. (He came home dripping wet from the rain.)
*La sauce au chocolat était dégoulinante sur le gâteau. (The chocolate sauce was oozing/dripping over the cake.)
*Après le marathon, il était dégoulinant de sueur. (After the marathon, he was dripping with sweat.)
*Le mur était dégoulinant d'humidité. (The wall was oozing with dampness.)

To describe someone who is 'sweaty' (implying wetness from sweat) – en sueur

To describe someone who is 'sweaty' in French, especially implying wetness from sweat, the most common and direct expression is en sueur.

Literally translating to 'in sweat', en sueur is an idiomatic phrase used to convey that a person is covered or damp with perspiration. It's a versatile expression that clearly communicates the state of being sweaty.

You'll frequently hear en sueur used after physical exertion, in hot weather, or when someone is feeling anxious. For example, after a run, one would naturally be en sueur.

Unlike many French adjectives, en sueur is an invariable phrase. This means it does not change its form to agree in gender or number with the noun it describes. Whether it's il est en sueur (he is sweaty) or elles sont en sueur (they are sweaty), the phrase remains the same.

💡 *Après le marathon, tous les coureurs étaient en sueur. (After the marathon, all the runners were sweaty.)
*Il est rentré du travail tout en sueur à cause de la chaleur. (He came home from work all sweaty because of the heat.)
*Même assis, je suis en sueur aujourd'hui, il fait si chaud ! (Even sitting, I'm sweaty today, it's so hot!)
*Elle a terminé son entraînement, le visage rouge et en sueur. (She finished her workout, her face red and sweaty.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'wet' 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 mouillé en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for mouillé 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 something being wet.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of 'wetness,' or words about moisture in French, the WordReference entry for mouillé is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s a thought to finish it with, courtesy of Ludwig Wittgenstein: “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Keep expanding your French vocabulary, and with it, your world!