French Vocabulary: Family
Learn French family-related words and phrases. Understand relationships and discuss family members in French.
bébé
baby
The French word 'bébé' is used similarly to the English word 'baby'. It can be used to refer to a child that is yet to walk or talk or as an affectionate term to refer to a loved one, such as a significant other.
Example sentences with bébé →couple
couple
In French, 'couple' has a very similar meaning as in English, referring to a pair of people, animals, or things often related or in a relationship of some kind. Just like in English, it can also refer more specifically to two people in a romantic relationship. An example of a sentence would be, 'Ils sont en couple depuis deux ans,' which means 'They have been a couple for two years.'
Example sentences with couple →fille
girl
The French word for 'girl' is 'fille'. It is used in the same way as in English, referring to a young human female. One thing to remember is, gender is very important in French grammar. 'Fille' is a feminine noun, and must be used with the correct articles and adjectives. For example, 'the girl' would be 'la fille', and 'a beautiful girl' would be 'une belle fille'.
Example sentences with fille →frère
brother
The French word for 'brother' is 'frère'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to a male sibling. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a close bond with someone, like a brotherhood.
Example sentences with frère →garçon
boy
The French word 'garçon' is used primarily to refer to a young male, similar to the English word 'boy'. It can also be used colloquially to call a waiter in a restaurant. However, using it in this way is considered old-fashioned and possibly rude.
Example sentences with garçon →maison
house
The French word for 'house' is 'maison'. It is used in the same context as in English, referring to a building for habitation by people. In most cases, a 'maison' is a free-standing structure, as opposed to an apartment or flat ('appartement' in French).
Example sentences with maison →mari
husband
In French, husband is translated as 'mari'. For example, if you want to say 'My husband is kind.' you would say 'Mon mari est gentil.'. Remember that the masculine possessive, 'mon', is used for 'mari'. This term is used widely in everyday speech and writing.
Example sentences with mari →mère
mother
The word 'mère' is a feminine noun in French and it is used similarly to the English word 'mother'. However, it is important to note that, unlike in English where 'mom' and 'mother' are common terms, in French typically only 'mère' is used. In French, 'maman' is often used as a more informal or affectionate term similar to 'mom' in English. However, 'mère' is generally more formal and respectful.
Example sentences with mère →parrain
godfather
The French term for 'godfather' is 'parrain'. It refers to a man who promises to help a child grow up to be a good person and provides help and advice as the child grows up. It is commonly used in the context of baptism, where the 'parrain' is a spiritual guide for the child.
Example sentences with parrain →père
father
The French word for father is 'père'. It is commonly used in the same way as in English, to refer to one's biological paternal figure. It can also be used in some contexts to refer to a person who has played a significant male role in one's life. Additionally, 'père' can be used colloquially, much like the English 'old man', to refer to one's father.
Example sentences with père →seul
single
The French word for 'single' is 'seul'. It can be used in the same contexts as in English - for example, to describe an individual person or item, or to express loneliness or singularity. Note that 'seul' must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, so it can also appear as 'seule', 'seuls', or 'seules' depending on the context.
Example sentences with seul →