French Family and Relationship Vocabulary, With False Friends
French words for relatives and partners, including in-laws and step-relatives, and the traps of 'parents', 'femme' and 'belle-mère'.
Family words are among the first you learn, and a few have traps for English speakers. This guide covers the core vocabulary and the confusing spots.
Immediate family
- la mère / le père — mother / father (also maman / papa informally)
- les parents — parents (false friend: it doesn't mean "relatives")
- le frère / la sœur — brother / sister
- le fils / la fille — son / daughter
- l'enfant — child
- le bébé
- les jumeaux / jumelles — twins (male / female)
Extended family
- le grand-père / la grand-mère — grandfather / grandmother (papi and mamie informally)
- les grands-parents
- le petit-fils / la petite-fille — grandson / granddaughter
- l'oncle / la tante — uncle / aunt
- le cousin / la cousine
- le neveu / la nièce — nephew / niece
- la famille — family
- les proches — close relatives, loved ones
False friend: les parents means mother and father, but to say "my relatives" you say ma famille, mes proches or mes parents in the wider sense. The word parent alone is also used in the singular to mean "relative": C'est un parent éloigné (a distant relative).
Partners and marriage
- le mari / l'époux — husband
- la femme / l'épouse — wife
- le compagnon / la compagne — partner (unmarried)
- le petit ami / la petite amie — boyfriend / girlfriend
- le fiancé / la fiancée — fiancé / fiancée
- le mariage — wedding, marriage
- le PACS — civil solidarity pact (a civil partnership introduced in 1999, open to same-sex and opposite-sex couples)
- divorcé(e), veuf / veuve (widower / widow), célibataire (single)
False friend: femme means both "woman" and "wife". Ma femme is "my wife"; une femme is "a woman".
In-laws and step-relatives
French uses the same words, beau and belle, for both in-laws and step-relatives:
- le beau-père — father-in-law, or stepfather
- la belle-mère — mother-in-law, or stepmother
- le beau-frère — brother-in-law, or stepbrother
- la belle-sœur — sister-in-law, or stepsister
- le gendre — son-in-law (also beau-fils)
- la belle-fille — daughter-in-law, or stepdaughter
- le demi-frère / la demi-sœur — half-brother / half-sister
Context makes the meaning clear, and when it doesn't, speakers clarify.
Family occasions
- la naissance — birth
- le baptême — christening
- l'anniversaire — birthday
- l'enterrement — funeral
- les retrouvailles — family reunion
- Bonne fête ! — Happy name day! (many French people celebrate saint's days)
Expressions
- Tel père, tel fils. — Like father, like son.
- Les enfants d'abord. — Children first.
- Faire partie de la famille. — To be part of the family.
Talking about your family
- J'ai deux frères et une sœur. — I have two brothers and a sister.
- Je suis fils unique / fille unique. — I'm an only child.
- Mes parents habitent à Lyon. — My parents live in Lyon.
- Je suis l'aîné(e) / le cadet / la cadette. — I'm the eldest / youngest.
- Ma mère s'appelle Claire. — My mother's called Claire.
Common mistakes
- Using parents for "relatives".
- Confusing femme (wife/woman).
- Not distinguishing cousin (masculine) and cousine (feminine).
Dictionary tip
A dictionary shows gender for each noun, and notes the different meanings of parent, femme and belle-mère.
Practice
Draw your family tree and label it in French, using at least ten of the words above.
English French Dictionary
Offline English–French dictionary with meanings, gender and accents handled properly
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