FAMILY - FRENCH VOCABULARY TESTING GUIDE

 55 cards | 7 sub-topics | all 4 skills tested

INTRODUCTION

This section is about the French words and vocabulary used to describe family relationships

There's this widely-circulated notion that French children appear to be better disciplined than their counterparts in other (developed) countries. While nobody can accurately validate or invalidate this claim, we can, however, all agree that the definition of "family" in France has become more and more a hot topic (extension of right to gays and lesbians, legalization of gay marriage, etc). 

While the French people may not all agree on the definition of "traditional" family, at least, we here can focus to study some very common French words on this subject.

So let's check out what to call in French the members of our own families.

1. MEMBERS OF THE {PARENTS} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

1. la famille

Family

On ne choisit pas sa famille./ You don't choose your family.

2. la mère

Mother

Ma mère est ma confidente./ My mother is my confidante.

3. maman

Mommy

Je t'aime, maman./ I love you, mommy.

4. le father

Father

Ton père est-il stricte?/ Is your father strict?

5. papa

Daddy

Papa m'a acheté un cadeau./ Daddy bought me a gift.

6. la femme

Wife

C'est la femme de M. Durant./ That's Mr. Durant's wife.

7. le mari

Husband

C'est le mari de Mme. O'Donnel./ That's Mrs. Odonnel's husband.

8. l'épouse

Spouse (female)

Mon épouse sera à mes côtés./ My spouse will be at my side.

9. l'époux

Spouse (male)

Mon époux est absent./ My spouse is absent.

10. les parents

Parents

Mes parents sont absents aujourd'hui./ My parents are absent today.

2. MEMBERS OF THE {CHILDREN} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

11. les enfants

Children

Combien d' enfants avez-vous?/ How many children do you have?

12. la fille

Daughter

Ma fille et moi sommes très proches./My daugher and I are very close.

13. le fils

Son

Quel âge a ton fils?/ How old is your son?

14. une fille

Girl

Mes filles sont toutes grandes./ My girls are all grown up.

15. un garçon

Boy

Tu grandis, mon garçon!/ You're growing up, my boy!

16. la soeur

Sister

J'ai trois soeurs./ I have three sisters.

17. le frère

Brother

Mon frère est un athlète professionnel./ My brother is a professional athlete.

18.

le demi-frère

Half-brother

Comment s'appelle ton demi-frère?/ What's your half-brother's name?

19.

le demi-frère

Stepbrother

J'ai deux demi-frères./ I have two stepbrothers.

20.

la demi-soeur

Half-sister

Tu t'entends bien avec ta demi-soeur?/ Do you get along well with your half-sister?

21.

la demi-soeur

Stepsister

Isabelle est ma demi-soeur./ Isabelle is my stepsister.

22.

le fiston

Son; Boy (informal)

Mon fiston entre au collège cette année./ A coffee, please!

23.

la fistonne

Daughter; Girl (informal)

Passe-moi le sel, fistonne!/ Pass me the salt, daughter!

3. MEMBERS OF THE {GRANDPARENTS} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

24.

les grand-parents

Grandparents

Qui sont vos grands-parents?/ Who are your grandparents?

25.

la grand-mère

Grandmother

Votre grand-mère nous rendra visite demain./ Your grandmother will pay us a visit tomorrow.

26.

le grand-père

Grandfather

Mon grand-père est très malade./ My grandfather is very ill.

27.

mémé

Grandma

Ma mémé me gâte beaucoup./ Some herbal tea will make you feel all right.

28.

pépé

Grandpa

Je veux voir pépé./ I want to see grandpa.

4. MEMBERS OF THE {GRANDCHILDREN} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

29.

les petits-enfants

Grandchildren

J'adore mes petits enfants./ I love my grandchildren.

30.

la petite-fille

Granddaughter

Ma petite-fille est adorable./ My granddaughter is adorable.

31.

le petit-fils

Grandson

Mon deuxième petit-fils vient de naître./ My second grandson was just born.

5. MEMBERS OF THE {AUNT/UNCLE} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

32.

l'oncle (m.)

Uncle

Oncle Bernard nous rendra visite demain. / Uncle Bernard will pay us a visit tomorrow.

33.

la tante

Aunt

Ma tante et ma mère se ressemblent beaucoup./My aunt and my mother look alike very much.

34.

le neveu

Nephew

Ce garçon est-il votre neveu?/ Is this boy your nephew?

35.

la nièce

Niece

Ma nièce se marie bientôt./ My niece is getting married soon.

36.

le cousin

Cousin (male)

Mon cousin Steve est mon meilleur ami./ My cousin Steve is my best friend.

37.

la cousine

Cousin (female)

Ma cousine s'appelle Julie./ My cousin's name is Julie

38.

tonton

Uncle (child's talk)

Tonton m'a donné ce cadeau/ Uncle gave me this gift.

39.

tata

Auntie (child talk)

Papa, je veux aller chez tata./ Daddy, I want to go to tata's.

6. MEMBERS OF THE {IN-LAWS} GROUP

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

40.

le beau-frère

Brother-in-law

Je joue au foot avec mon beau-frère./ I play soccer with my brother-in-law.

41.

la belle-soeur

Sister-in-law

Ma belle-soeur et ma femme sont très differentes./ My sister in-law and my wife are very different.

42.

le beau-père

Father-in-law

Mon beau-père ne m'aime pas beaucoup./ My father-in-law doesn't like me very much

43.

la belle-mère

Mother-in-law

Ma belle-mère est super sympa./My mother-in-law is really nice.

44.

le beau-fils

Son-in-law

Mon beau-fils a eu une promotion./My son-in-law has been promoted.

45.

le gendre

Son-in-law

Je m'entends bien avec mon gendre./I get along well with my son-in-law .

46.

la belle-fille

Daughter-in-law

Ma belle-fille attend un bébé./ My daughter-in-law is expecting a baby.

47.

la bru

Daughter-in-law

Ma bru est très gentille./ My daughter-in-law is very kind.

7. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS FRENCH FAMILY WORDS

french-english-vocabulary-translation

FRENCH

ENGLISH

SENTENCE EXAMPLES TO PRACTICE

48. le cadet; la cadette

Younger brother/sister

Je m'entends bien avec ma soeur cadette./ I get along well with my younger sister.

49. le/la benjamin(e)

Youngest brother/sister

André est le benjamin de la famille./ Andrew is the youngest in the family.

50. l'aîné(e)

Oldest son/daughter

Marc est l' aîné de la famille./ Mark is the oldest in the family.

51. le/la frangin(e)

Bro(ther) (informal)

Ma petite frangine est vraiment cool!/ My little sister is really cool!

52. la mère porteuse

Surrogate mother

Nous avons trouvé une mère porteuse pour notre bébé./We've found a surrogate mother for our baby.

53. les parents adoptifs

Adoptive parents

Mes parents adoptifs sont toujours là pour moi./My adoptive parents are always there for me.

54. l'enfant adopté

Adopted child

La vérité est que vous êtes un enfant adopté./ The truth is you are an adopted child.

55. l'arbre généalogique

Family tree

Dessinez votre arbre généalogique./ Draw your family tree.

I hope you will find this extensive family member list quite useful. Make sure to let me know if you would like me to add to this list or modify something. Merci et à très bientôt!


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