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engraisser

B1 verb 11 min read

engraisser

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips engraisser in 30 Seconds

Explanation engraisser in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know the very basic idea of 'engraisser'. Think of it as 'to make fat'. You might see it in simple stories about farm animals. For example, a farmer gives a lot of corn to a pig to make it fat. It's not a common word for beginners to use themselves, as 'grossir' (to get big) is much more useful. Just remember: 'engraisser' is like 'fattening up' an animal for food. It is a regular -er verb, so it follows the same rules as 'parler' or 'manger'. You probably won't use it in daily conversation yet, but you might see it in a picture book about a farm.

At the A2 level, you can start to distinguish between 'engraisser' and 'grossir'. You might use 'engraisser' when talking about farm life or gardening. If you have a small garden, you might 'engraisser la terre' (fertilize the soil) to help your flowers grow. You should also recognize the word 'engrais', which means 'fertilizer'. At this stage, you should understand that 'engraisser' is usually something you do to something else (like an animal or a plant), while 'grossir' is what happens to you if you eat too much chocolate. It's a technical word for making things grow or get heavier through food or nutrients.

As a B1 learner, you should be comfortable using 'engraisser' in its literal agricultural sense and start to recognize its figurative meanings. You should know that 's'engraisser' (the reflexive form) can mean to get rich in a greedy way. You might hear this in news reports about companies making too much money. You should also be careful not to use this word to describe your friends gaining weight, as it sounds quite rude. You are now expected to use the correct tenses, like the passé composé ('il a engraissé ses vaches') and the future ('nous engraisserons le jardin au printemps').

At the B2 level, you should understand the social and political nuances of 'engraisser'. It is a powerful word in French political discourse. You should be able to understand articles that talk about 'les profiteurs qui s'engraissent sur le dos de la crise' (profiteers fattening themselves on the back of the crisis). You should also know the idiom 'engraisser la patte' (to bribe someone). You should be able to use the word in more complex grammatical structures, such as the subjunctive ('Il est nécessaire qu'il engraisse la terre avant l'hiver') or the conditional. You understand that the word carries a connotation of excess and perhaps moral failure.

At the C1 level, you can use 'engraisser' with precision in various registers. You might use it in a literary analysis to describe a character's physical transformation as a symbol of their greed. You understand the historical and etymological roots of the word and how it relates to 'la graisse' (fat) and 'gras' (fat/oily). You can distinguish between 'engraisser' and more technical terms like 'fertiliser' or 'amender' in a professional agricultural context. Your use of the word is idiomatic and you can use it to add color and impact to your arguments, especially when criticizing corruption or corporate excess.

For C2 learners, 'engraisser' is a tool for sophisticated expression. You are aware of its use in classical French literature (like the works of Rabelais or Balzac) where it often has a visceral, earthy quality. You can use it in academic or philosophical discussions about the 'fattening' of the state or the accumulation of capital. You are sensitive to the most subtle shades of meaning—for instance, when 'engraisser' is used ironically or sarcastically. You can effortlessly switch between its literal agricultural meaning and its most abstract figurative uses, and you never confuse it with its 'faux amis' like 'graisser' or 'enrichir' unless you are making a specific linguistic point.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

engraisser in 30 Seconds

Engraisser means to fatten livestock, enrich soil with fertilizer, or metaphorically to get rich through greed and corruption.
It is a regular -er verb, conjugated like 'parler', but carries a much more physical and sometimes pejorative tone than 'grossir'.
In gardening, it refers to adding 'engrais' (fertilizer) to the earth to improve its productivity and nutrient density.
Use 'grossir' for neutral weight gain in humans; use 'engraisser' for animals, plants, or when criticizing someone's excessive wealth.

The French verb engraisser is a multifaceted term that primarily deals with the process of making something fat, thick, or rich. At its most literal level, it is an agricultural term used to describe the act of fattening up livestock—such as pigs, cattle, or poultry—before they are sent to market. Unlike the more common verb grossir, which simply means 'to get big' or 'to gain weight' in a general sense, engraisser often implies a deliberate process of feeding or a specific biological accumulation of fat. When you hear a farmer talking about engraisser les porcs, they are discussing a professional regimen of nutrition designed to maximize the animal's weight. This distinction is crucial for learners; while you might say j'ai grossi (I gained weight) after a long vacation, saying je m'engraisse would sound much more animalistic, perhaps implying you are being stuffed like a goose for foie gras.

Agricultural Context: The primary usage involves livestock management. It describes the final stage of animal husbandry where high-calorie feed is used to increase the fat content of the meat.
Horticultural Context: In gardening and farming, it refers to enriching the soil. To engraisser la terre means to add fertilizer or manure to make the ground more productive and nutrient-dense.
Metaphorical/Financial Context: This is where the word becomes quite biting. It is frequently used to describe corrupt individuals or entities that get rich (fatten themselves) at the expense of others. Phrases like s'engraisser sur le dos du peuple (to fatten oneself on the back of the people) are common in political discourse.

Les éleveurs utilisent du grain de haute qualité pour engraisser les bœufs avant la foire automnale.

Beyond the physical, the word carries a heavy social weight. In a world where health and fitness are highly prized, engraisser can feel quite pejorative when applied to humans. If a doctor tells a patient they need to s'engraisser, it is usually because the patient is dangerously underweight. However, in most social settings, using this word to describe someone's weight gain is considered rude or even insulting, as it compares the person to an animal being prepared for slaughter. It suggests a lack of control or a purely biological, mindless accumulation of mass. This is why B1 learners must be careful: use grossir for friends and engraisser for your garden or your pigs.

In political journalism, you will often see this word used to criticize corporate greed. When a company reports record profits while cutting wages, critics might say the CEO is en train de s'engraisser. This imagery is powerful because it evokes the idea of a parasite growing fat while the host suffers. It is a word of excess and accumulation. Whether it is the literal fat of a pig, the chemical nutrients in a field, or the metaphorical wealth in a corrupt politician's pocket, engraisser always implies a process of making something 'heavier' and more 'substantial' through external input.

Using engraisser correctly requires understanding its three main grammatical forms: transitive (doing it to something), intransitive (the process happening), and reflexive (doing it to oneself). As a regular -er verb, its conjugation is straightforward, but its nuances are not. When used transitively, you are the agent of the fattening. For example, Le fermier engraisse ses volailles. Here, the farmer is actively feeding the birds to make them fat. This transitive use is also applied to soil: Il faut engraisser le potager avec du compost. In this sense, it is synonymous with 'to fertilize' or 'to enrich'.

Si tu continues à manger autant de sucre, tu vas finir par t'engraisser sérieusement.

Transitive (Subject + Verb + Object): Usage: 'L'industrie du tabac a cherché à engraisser ses bénéfices.' (The tobacco industry sought to fatten its profits.)
Reflexive (Subject + Se + Verb): Usage: 'Certains politiciens s'engraissent grâce à la corruption.' (Some politicians fatten themselves/get rich through corruption.)
Intransitive (Subject + Verb): Usage: 'Ce type de bétail engraisse très vite.' (This type of livestock fattens up very quickly.)

The reflexive form s'engraisser is particularly common in modern French when discussing wealth. It carries a strong connotation of greed. If you say Il s'engraisse, you aren't just saying he is getting rich; you are implying he is doing so in a way that is perhaps excessive or unearned. It is the visual equivalent of someone becoming bloated with money. In contrast, the intransitive use engraisser (without the 'se') is more common in older French or specific regional dialects to mean 'to get fat', but in modern standard French, grossir has largely replaced it for neutral descriptions of human weight gain.

Il est nécessaire d'engraisser la terre avant d'y planter les tomates pour garantir une bonne récolte.

When writing, remember that engraisser follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -er. In the passé composé, it uses avoir for the transitive/intransitive forms and être for the reflexive form. For example: J'ai engraissé le cochon (I fattened the pig) vs Il s'est engraissé (He got rich/fat). This distinction is vital for grammatical accuracy. Furthermore, in formal writing, engraisser can be used to describe the accumulation of capital in an economy, though 'accumuler' or 'capitaliser' are more frequent in technical academic papers.

You will encounter engraisser in three primary arenas of French life: the countryside, the news, and the dinner table (though usually in a joking or cautionary sense). In rural France, especially in regions known for their gastronomy like the Périgord or Burgundy, l'engraissement is a technical term of pride. You might hear a farmer at a local market discussing the best way to engraisser les oies (fatten the geese) to produce the best foie gras. In this context, the word is devoid of the negative moral connotations it has in the city; it is simply a matter of craft and tradition.

À la télévision, les manifestants accusaient les banques de s'engraisser sur la crise économique.

The Evening News (Le JT): Journalists often use 's'engraisser' when reporting on financial scandals, tax evasion, or excessive corporate bonuses. It paints a picture of greed that resonates with the public.
Documentaries: Nature documentaries use the term to describe animals preparing for hibernation. 'L'ours doit s'engraisser avant l'hiver' (The bear must fatten up before winter).
Casual Conversation: Friends might use it jokingly: 'Arrête de me donner des gâteaux, tu veux m'engraisser ?' (Stop giving me cakes, do you want to fatten me up?).

In a cultural sense, France has a complex relationship with the concept of 'fat'. While French cuisine is famously rich in butter and cream, the social pressure to remain 'mince' (thin) is high. Therefore, using a word like engraisser in a personal context carries a lot of weight—pun intended. It is much more graphic than the English 'to gain weight'. It brings to mind the physical substance of fat itself (la graisse). You might also hear it in the context of mechanical maintenance, though graisser is more common there. However, engraisser un mécanisme can sometimes be used to mean over-lubricating it.

Le documentaire expliquait comment les baleines s'engraissent en mangeant des tonnes de krill dans les eaux froides.

Finally, in literature, engraisser is often used to describe the decadence of a character or a society. In the works of Balzac or Zola, characters who 'engraissent' are often those who have lost their moral compass in pursuit of material wealth. The physical fattening of the character serves as a metaphor for their spiritual rot. When you read 19th-century French novels, pay attention to who is described as engraissé; it is almost never a compliment. It signifies a person who has taken more than their fair share from the world around them.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with engraisser is using it as a direct translation for 'to get fat' in a neutral way. In English, 'I’m getting fat' can be a casual, self-deprecating remark. In French, je m'engraisse sounds like you are a farm animal. Learners should almost always use grossir when talking about people in a general context. Grossir is the standard, neutral verb for gaining weight. Using engraisser for a person is a deliberate choice that adds a layer of disgust, mockery, or clinical observation.

Faux ami : 'I need to grease the pan' is not 'engraisser la poêle', but 'graisser la poêle'.

Engraisser vs. Grossir: Grossir = Neutral weight gain. Engraisser = Deliberate fattening (animals) or insulting/metaphorical weight gain (humans).
Engraisser vs. Graisser: Graisser = To lubricate a machine or grease a pan. Engraisser = To make something fat or to fertilize soil.
Reflexive Confusion: Don't forget the 'se' when you are the one getting rich/fat. 'Il engraisse' (He is fattening something else) vs 'Il s'engraisse' (He is getting rich/fat himself).

Another common error is related to the agricultural use. While engraisser means to fertilize, the noun for fertilizer is engrais (always with an 's'). Learners often try to say engraissement when they mean the product you buy at the store. L'engraissement is the process; l'engrais is the substance. For example, J'achète de l'engrais pour mes fleurs (I am buying fertilizer for my flowers). Confusing these two can make your sentences sound clunky or technically incorrect.

Attention : On n'utilise pas 'engraisser' pour dire 'to enrich' une culture ou une discussion. Utilisez 'enrichir'.

Finally, be careful with the figurative use 'engraisser la patte'. This is a very specific idiom meaning 'to grease someone's palm' (to bribe). If you use engraisser in a context of bribery without the word patte (paw), it might not be understood as a bribe but rather just general enrichment. Precision with idioms is key to reaching a B2/C1 level. Always ask yourself: 'Am I talking about a pig, a garden, or a corrupt banker?' If the answer is none of the above, you might want to reconsider using engraisser.

To truly master engraisser, you must understand its synonyms and how they differ in register and context. The most obvious alternative is grossir. While engraisser is often transitive (to fatten something), grossir is more commonly intransitive (to grow bigger). If you want to say a sweater makes you look fat, you say ce pull me grossit, never ce pull m'engraisse. The latter would imply the sweater is actually feeding you nutrients through your skin!

Grossir: The most common and neutral way to say 'to gain weight' or 'to get bigger'. Used for people, objects, and even abstract things like problems.
Fertiliser / Amender: In gardening, 'fertiliser' is the more scientific term, while 'amender' refers to improving the soil structure. 'Engraisser' is more traditional/old-fashioned in this context.
S'enrichir: The neutral way to say 'to get rich'. Unlike 's'engraisser', it doesn't necessarily imply corruption or greed.

Au lieu de dire 'il s'est engraissé', un diplomate dirait 'il a accumulé une fortune considérable'.

For more specific agricultural contexts, you might use fourrager (to forage/feed) or gaver (to force-feed). Gaver is the specific term used for the production of foie gras. In a figurative sense, gaver means to stuff someone with information or food until they are sick of it. 'On nous gave de publicités' (We are being stuffed with ads). This is a great alternative to engraisser when the focus is on the act of over-supplying rather than the resulting weight gain.

L'agriculteur préfère fertiliser ses champs avec des produits naturels plutôt que d'utiliser des engrais chimiques.

If you are looking for a more positive or clinical term for weight gain, consider prendre du poids. This is the phrase used by doctors and health professionals. For example, Le bébé prend du poids normalement (The baby is gaining weight normally). You would never use engraisser for a baby unless you were writing a dark fairy tale about an ogre. Understanding these boundaries of taste and register is what separates a B1 learner from a truly fluent speaker. Choose your words based on the level of respect or criticism you wish to convey.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Child friendly

Slang

Fun Fact

The word 'engrais' (fertilizer) comes directly from this verb. Historically, farmers realized that adding 'fatty' organic matter to the soil made it more productive, leading to the term 'engraisser la terre'.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɑ̃.ɡʁɛ.se/

US /ɑ̃.ɡʁe.se/

The stress in French is always on the final syllable: en-grais-SER.

Rhymes With

baisser laisser presser adresser blesser caresser cesser dresser

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'n' in 'en' as a hard English 'n'. It should be a nasal vowel.
Pronouncing the final 'r'. In -er verbs, the 'r' is silent.
Confusing 'engraisser' with 'engranger' (to harvest/store).
Making the 'ai' sound like 'ai' in 'rain'. It should be more like 'e' in 'met'.
Over-stressing the first syllable.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize if you know 'graisse', but figurative uses require context.

Writing 4/5

Requires care to avoid being accidentally rude or using it where 'grossir' is better.

Speaking 4/5

A bit tricky to use naturally without sounding overly dramatic or agricultural.

Listening 3/5

Common in news and documentaries, usually clear from context.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

gras graisse grossir nourrir terre

Learn Next

engrais gaver enrichir prospérer amender

Advanced

hypertrophie adipocyte prévarication spoliation obésité

Grammar to Know

Regular -er verb conjugation

Je m'engraisse, tu t'engraisses, il s'engraisse...

Reflexive verbs in passé composé (using être)

Il s'est engraissé durant l'hiver.

Transitive vs Intransitive usage

Il engraisse son chien (Transitive) vs Le chien engraisse (Intransitive).

Agreement of the past participle with reflexive verbs

Elle s'est engraissée (Agreement because 'se' is direct object).

Using 'pour' + infinitive to show purpose

Il mange du maïs pour engraisser.

Examples by Level

Le fermier donne du grain pour engraisser le cochon.

The farmer gives grain to fatten the pig.

Simple present tense of a regular -er verb.

Le petit chat veut engraisser un peu.

The little cat wants to fatten up a bit.

Infinitive form after the verb 'vouloir'.

Ils engraissent les poules pour Noël.

They are fattening the chickens for Christmas.

Third person plural present tense.

Mange bien pour engraisser !

Eat well to fatten up!

Imperative form (informal).

Le chien a engraissé cet hiver.

The dog fattened up this winter.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

Nous allons engraisser les oies.

We are going to fatten the geese.

Near future (aller + infinitive).

Est-ce que tu engraisses ton lapin ?

Are you fattening your rabbit?

Interrogative with 'est-ce que'.

Elle engraisse la terre du jardin.

She is fertilizing the garden soil.

Transitive use of the verb.

Il faut engraisser le bétail avant de le vendre.

The livestock must be fattened before being sold.

Impersonal 'il faut' + infinitive.

J'utilise du fumier pour engraisser mes fleurs.

I use manure to fertilize my flowers.

Use of 'pour' to show purpose.

Les ours s'engraissent avant l'hibernation.

Bears fatten themselves up before hibernation.

Reflexive verb 's'engraisser'.

Mon oncle engraisse des canards dans sa ferme.

My uncle fattens ducks on his farm.

Subject-verb-object structure.

Si tu manges trop de gâteaux, tu vas t'engraisser.

If you eat too many cakes, you are going to get fat.

Reflexive near future.

On a engraissé la terre avec du compost naturel.

We fertilized the soil with natural compost.

Passé composé with 'on'.

Pourquoi veux-tu engraisser ce petit oiseau ?

Why do you want to fatten this little bird?

Inversion in a question.

Le chat de la voisine s'est beaucoup engraissé.

The neighbor's cat has fattened up a lot.

Reflexive passé composé with 'être'.

Certains patrons s'engraissent alors que les ouvriers souffrent.

Some bosses get rich while the workers suffer.

Figurative use meaning 'to get rich'.

Il est déconseillé d'engraisser trop rapidement les animaux.

It is not recommended to fatten animals too quickly.

Passive/Impersonal construction.

L'agriculteur a décidé d'engraisser ses terres avec des engrais verts.

The farmer decided to fertilize his land with green manure.

Decider de + infinitive.

Elle a peur de s'engraisser si elle arrête le sport.

She is afraid of getting fat if she stops exercising.

Avoir peur de + reflexive infinitive.

Les banques s'engraissent sur les intérêts des clients.

Banks get fat (rich) on the interest from customers.

Metaphorical use in finance.

Il faut engraisser ce veau pour qu'il soit prêt en juin.

This calf must be fattened so it is ready in June.

Subjunctive 'soit' after 'pour que'.

Le gouvernement ne devrait pas s'engraisser sur le dos des contribuables.

The government should not fatten itself on the backs of taxpayers.

Idiomatic expression 'sur le dos de'.

Après sa maladie, il a dû manger beaucoup pour s'engraisser.

After his illness, he had to eat a lot to put on weight.

Devoir in the passé composé.

Cette politique ne sert qu'à engraisser les actionnaires.

This policy only serves to fatten the shareholders.

Ne... que (only) restriction.

Il s'agit d'engraisser le sol avant les premières gelées.

It's about fertilizing the soil before the first frosts.

Il s'agit de + infinitive.

Les scandales de corruption montrent comment certains s'engraissent illégalement.

Corruption scandals show how some get rich illegally.

Adverbial use 'illégalement'.

L'engraissement intensif est souvent critiqué par les écologistes.

Intensive fattening is often criticized by environmentalists.

Noun form 'engraissement'.

Elle a engraissé son discours de nombreux exemples inutiles.

She padded (fattened) her speech with many useless examples.

Figurative use for 'padding' or 'stuffing'.

On l'accuse d'avoir engraissé la patte de plusieurs fonctionnaires.

He is accused of having greased the palms of several officials.

Idiom 'engraisser la patte'.

Les animaux sauvages doivent s'engraisser pour survivre à la disette.

Wild animals must fatten up to survive the famine/shortage.

Vocabulary: 'disette'.

Il ne faut pas laisser les monopoles s'engraisser sans contrôle.

Monopolies must not be allowed to fatten up without control.

Laissez + infinitive.

Le récit s'engraisse de détails sordides au fil des chapitres.

The narrative becomes bloated with sordid details as the chapters progress.

Literary use of 's'engraisser de'.

Il est vain d'engraisser une terre qui a perdu toute sa substance.

It is futile to fertilize a land that has lost all its substance.

Adjective 'vain' to start the sentence.

La bureaucratie s'engraisse de procédures toujours plus complexes.

Bureaucracy fattens itself on increasingly complex procedures.

Abstract subject 'la bureaucratie'.

L'aristocratie déclinante s'engraissait encore sur les restes de son passé.

The declining aristocracy was still fattening itself on the remains of its past.

Imperfect tense for ongoing state.

On ne peut engraisser un animal contre sa propre nature sans conséquences.

One cannot fatten an animal against its own nature without consequences.

Prepositional phrase 'contre sa propre nature'.

Sa fortune s'est engraissée des malheurs de la guerre.

His fortune grew fat on the misfortunes of war.

Reflexive passé composé with 'des'.

L'œuvre de Proust s'engraisse de réminiscences et de sensations.

Proust's work is enriched/fattened by reminiscences and sensations.

Metaphorical literary analysis.

Le système s'engraisse de la passivité des citoyens.

The system fattens itself on the passivity of citizens.

Sociological commentary.

L'engraissement des porcs, jadis artisanal, est devenu une industrie déshumanisée.

The fattening of pigs, once artisanal, has become a dehumanized industry.

Complex sentence with apposition.

Il s'engraissait de la substance même de ses rivaux, tel un parasite.

He was fattening himself on the very substance of his rivals, like a parasite.

Simile 'tel un parasite'.

La langue française s'engraisse de néologismes au risque de perdre sa clarté.

The French language is becoming bloated with neologisms at the risk of losing its clarity.

Linguistic metaphor.

Par un étrange paradoxe, plus il engraissait son sol, moins celui-ci produisait.

By a strange paradox, the more he fertilized his soil, the less it produced.

Correlative 'plus... moins...' structure.

L'ogre de la fable cherchait à engraisser l'enfant pour son festin.

The ogre of the fable sought to fatten the child for his feast.

Reference to folklore.

Les spéculateurs s'engraissent des fluctuations erratiques du marché.

Speculators get fat on the erratic fluctuations of the market.

Technical financial vocabulary.

On ne saurait engraisser un esprit sans lui donner le temps de la digestion.

One cannot fatten (nourish) a mind without giving it time for digestion.

Formal 'on ne saurait' + infinitive.

Il s'agit d'un engraissement sémantique qui altère le sens originel du mot.

It is a semantic fattening that alters the original meaning of the word.

High-level academic terminology.

Common Collocations

engraisser le bétail

engraisser la terre

s'engraisser sur le dos de

engraisser la patte

engraissement intensif

faire engraisser

s'engraisser de

engraisser à vue d'œil

engraisser pour le sacrifice

engraisser ses bénéfices

Common Phrases

Engraisser comme un porc

— To get very fat, like a pig. Usually an insult.

À force de ne rien faire, il engraisse comme un porc.

Engraisser la terre

— To fertilize the ground. A common gardening task.

N'oublie pas d'engraisser la terre avant de planter.

S'engraisser de la misère

— To profit from the misery of others. A common political critique.

Certains marchands de sommeil s'engraissent de la misère humaine.

Vouloir engraisser

— To want to gain weight. Used for skinny people or animals.

Ce chat est trop maigre, il doit vouloir engraisser.

Engraisser ses poches

— To line one's pockets. To get rich through questionable means.

Il ne pense qu'à engraisser ses poches.

Engraisser le veau gras

— To fatten the fatted calf. Preparing for a big celebration.

On va engraisser le veau gras pour ton retour !

Temps d'engraissement

— The period during which animals are fattened up.

Le temps d'engraissement est de trois mois.

Engraisser avec du maïs

— To fatten using corn. A specific farming technique.

Il est traditionnel d'engraisser les oies avec du maïs.

S'engraisser au pouvoir

— To get rich while in a position of power.

Beaucoup de dictateurs s'engraissent au pouvoir.

Engraisser le mécanisme

— To over-lubricate a machine. Less common than 'graisser'.

Fais attention à ne pas trop engraisser le mécanisme.

Often Confused With

engraisser vs grossir

Grossir is neutral; engraisser is technical or pejorative.

engraisser vs graisser

Graisser is to lubricate a machine; engraisser is to fatten an organism or soil.

engraisser vs engranger

Engranger means to harvest or collect; engraisser means to fatten.

Idioms & Expressions

"Engraisser la patte à quelqu'un"

— To bribe someone. Literally 'to grease someone's paw'.

Il a dû engraisser la patte au douanier pour passer.

informal

"S'engraisser sur le dos de la bête"

— To profit from a situation or an organization that one is supposed to serve.

Les administrateurs s'engraissent sur le dos de la bête.

informal/critical

"Engraisser le chômage"

— To increase the number of unemployed people. A journalistic metaphor.

Ces licenciements vont encore engraisser le chômage.

journalistic

"Engraisser comme une oie"

— To be force-fed or to get fat very quickly.

On m'a engraissé comme une oie chez ma grand-mère.

casual

"Veau à l'engrais"

— A calf being fattened. Also used for a person who is lazy and well-fed.

Regarde-le, on dirait un veau à l'engrais !

informal/mocking

"Engraisser le cimetière"

— To die (and thus 'fatten' the earth of the cemetery). Very dark humor.

À ce rythme, il va finir par engraisser le cimetière.

slang/dark

"Engraisser la colonne"

— To add unnecessary length to a newspaper column (padding).

Le journaliste a engraissé la colonne avec des rumeurs.

professional/media

"S'engraisser de vent"

— To live on illusions or things that have no substance.

Il ne produit rien, il s'engraisse de vent.

literary

"Engraisser le fisc"

— To pay a lot of money in taxes (fattening the tax office).

Je n'ai pas envie d'engraisser le fisc avec mes heures supplémentaires.

informal

"Engraisser le loup"

— To feed someone who will eventually harm you.

Lui donner de l'argent, c'est engraisser le loup.

literary

Easily Confused

engraisser vs Graisser

Both come from 'graisse' (fat/grease).

Graisser is for machines or cooking (greasing a pan). Engraisser is for living things or soil.

Je graisse la poêle, mais j'engraisse le cochon.

engraisser vs Grossir

Both mean to gain weight/size.

Grossir is the general verb for humans. Engraisser is specific to fattening livestock or getting rich greedily.

J'ai grossi de deux kilos. (Normal) / Il s'engraisse au restaurant. (Sounds like he's a pig).

engraisser vs Enrichir

Both can mean 'to make rich'.

Enrichir is neutral or positive (to enrich a culture/soil). Engraisser is often negative when applied to money.

La lecture enrichit l'esprit. / La corruption engraisse les politiciens.

engraisser vs Fertiliser

Both are used for soil.

Fertiliser is technical/modern. Engraisser is traditional/earthy.

On fertilise avec des produits chimiques. / On engraisse avec du fumier.

engraisser vs Gaver

Both involve feeding a lot.

Gaver is the act of force-feeding. Engraisser is the result (making them fat).

On gave les oies pour les engraisser.

Sentence Patterns

Il faut + engraisser + [object]

Il faut engraisser les cochons.

S'engraisser + avec + [something]

Il s'engraisse avec des bonbons.

Engraisser + la terre + pour + [verb]

On engraisse la terre pour planter des fleurs.

S'engraisser + sur le dos de + [someone]

Ils s'engraissent sur le dos des pauvres.

Accuser + [someone] + d'avoir engraissé + [object]

On l'accuse d'avoir engraissé ses bénéfices.

L'engraissement de + [noun] + par + [noun]

L'engraissement de la bureaucratie par de nouvelles lois.

[Subject] + s'engraisse + de + [abstract noun]

Le récit s'engraisse de descriptions.

Ne saurait + engraisser + sans + [verb]

On ne saurait engraisser un esprit sans patience.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Common in agriculture, politics, and journalism. Rare in polite social conversation about health.

Common Mistakes

Using 'engraisser' for a machine. → Graisser.
You 'graisser' a bike chain (lubricate). You 'engraisser' a pig (fatten).
Using 'engraisser' as a neutral way to say 'gain weight'. → Grossir.
'Engraisser' is too graphic and animalistic for a polite conversation about humans.
Forgetting the 's' in 'engrais' (the noun). → Un engrais.
The noun for fertilizer always has an 's', even in the singular.
Using 'engraisser' for 'to enrich' a discussion. → Enrichir.
'Engraisser' is for physical fat or money greed; 'enrichir' is for quality and value.
Confusing 'engraisser' with 'engranger'. → Engranger.
'Engranger' is to put in a barn (harvest); 'engraisser' is to feed the animals in that barn.

Tips

Think Agriculture

Whenever you use 'engraisser', imagine a farm. If the situation doesn't fit a farm-like metaphor, 'grossir' or 'enrichir' is probably better.

Reflexive vs Transitive

Remember: 'Il engraisse' means he is feeding something else. 'Il s'engraisse' means he is the one getting fat or rich.

Soil vs Plants

Technically, you engraisser the 'terre' (soil) rather than the 'plante' itself, though people will understand both.

Watch the Tone

Using 'engraisser' for a person is a strong statement. Use it only if you want to be insulting or very informal with close friends.

The Palm Grease

Memorize 'engraisser la patte'. It's a classic French idiom for bribery that will make you sound very fluent.

The Double 'S'

Don't forget the double 's'. 'Engraisser' needs them to keep the 's' sound between vowels. One 's' would sound like 'z'.

Fat = Greasy

Connecting 'engraisser' to 'grease' helps you remember it's about adding 'substance' or 'fat' specifically.

Nasal Check

The 'en' is nasal. Practice by saying 'enfant' then 'engraisser' to get the vowel right.

Zola and Balzac

If you read 19th-century French literature, look for this word. It's a key theme in stories about the rise of the bourgeoisie.

In-Grass

Imagine a cow eating grass to get fat. 'EN-GRAIS-ser' -> 'In-Grass'. It's a simple way to link the sound to the meaning.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'EN-GREASE-er'. You are putting 'grease' (fat) into something to make it bigger. Whether it's a pig or a bank account, you're adding the grease!

Visual Association

Imagine a farmer pouring a bucket of golden corn into a pig's trough. The pig gets rounder and rounder. That physical 'rounding out' is 'engraisser'.

Word Web

Graisse (Fat) Engrais (Fertilizer) Gras (Greasy) Grossir (Get big) S'enrichir (Get rich) Bétail (Livestock) Corruption (Corruption) Fumier (Manure)

Challenge

Try to use 'engraisser' in three different ways today: once for an animal, once for a plant, and once to describe a greedy character in a book or movie.

Word Origin

Derived from the Old French 'engraissier', which comes from the Latin 'incrassare'. The root is 'crassus', meaning thick or fat. It has been used in French since the 12th century.

Original meaning: To make thick, to make fat, or to enrich.

Romance (Latin root)

Cultural Context

Be extremely careful using this word with people. It is almost always seen as an insult or a very blunt medical observation.

In English, we often use 'to fatten up' for animals but rarely 'to fatten oneself' for getting rich; we prefer 'to line one's pockets'.

La Curée by Émile Zola (depicts characters fattening themselves on the spoils of Parisian urban renewal). Fables of La Fontaine (often features animals being fattened for the wolf or lion). Political cartoons in 'Le Canard Enchaîné' frequently use the verb to mock politicians.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Farming

Engraisser le bétail
Aliments d'engraissement
Poids d'engraissement
Cycle d'engraissement

Gardening

Engraisser le sol
Engrais organique
Engraisser les fleurs
Terre bien engraissée

Politics/Finance

S'engraisser sur la crise
Engraisser les actionnaires
Corruption et engraissement
S'engraisser aux dépens du peuple

Health/Diet

Chercher à s'engraisser
Régime pour engraisser
Engraisser trop vite
Produits engraissants

Idiomatic/Slang

Engraisser la patte
S'engraisser comme un porc
Engraisser le cimetière
Engraisser ses poches

Conversation Starters

"Penses-tu qu'il est éthique d'engraisser les animaux de manière intensive ?"

"Comment peut-on engraisser la terre sans utiliser de produits chimiques ?"

"As-tu déjà entendu l'expression 'engraisser la patte' dans un film français ?"

"Pourquoi certains politiciens cherchent-ils toujours à s'engraisser sur le dos du peuple ?"

"Est-ce que tu trouves que ce mot est trop dur pour parler de quelqu'un qui a grossi ?"

Journal Prompts

Décrivez une ferme idéale : comment les animaux y sont-ils nourris et engraissés ?

Réflexion : Pourquoi l'argent et la graisse sont-ils souvent associés dans la langue française ?

Imaginez un dialogue entre deux jardiniers discutant de la meilleure façon d'engraisser leur potager.

Écrivez un court article de journal dénonçant une entreprise qui s'engraisse pendant une crise.

Racontez une histoire où un personnage essaie désespérément d'engraisser pour un rôle au cinéma.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Only if you are being self-deprecating or joking. If you say 'Je veux m'engraisser', it sounds like you want to become a fat animal. Use 'Je veux prendre du poids' instead for a normal health goal.

Yes! 'Engrais' is the noun for fertilizer. You use 'engrais' to 'engraisser' the soil. They are part of the same word family.

Graisser is for lubrication (like a bike chain or a cake tin). Engraisser is for biological fattening or metaphorical enrichment.

Not for animals (it's just biology). For humans, it is almost always negative, implying greed, corruption, or a lack of self-control.

It's a regular -er verb. 'J'ai engraissé' (I fattened) or 'Je me suis engraissé' (I got fat/rich).

Yes, but usually it refers to the soil. You 'engraisser la terre' so that the plants grow better.

It is a common idiom meaning to bribe someone. It's like 'greasing the palm' in English.

Yes, especially in rural areas, in cooking documentaries about foie gras, and in political news.

Yes, in fish farming (aquaculture), you 'engraisser les poissons' before harvesting them.

For animals/people, it's 'amaigrir' (to make thin). For soil, it's 'appauvrir' (to deplete).