French for Family and Relationships: A Practical Guide

Key takeaways:

• French family vocabulary follows gender rules that change articles and adjectives (mon père, ma mère)
• Possessive adjectives in French match the gender of the family member, not the speaker
• French culture values formal introductions and specific relationship terms that English often glosses over
• Real conversations with native speakers help you learn natural family expressions faster than textbooks alone

French for family opens doors to meaningful connections with French-speaking relatives, in-laws, or partners. Whether you’re preparing to meet your partner’s French family, reconnecting with French-speaking heritage, or planning extended time in a French-speaking country, knowing how to discuss family relationships matters.

This guide gives you practical french family vocabulary and phrases for real situations. You’ll learn the terms French people actually use, understand the grammar patterns, and pick up cultural context. Working with French tutors helps you practice these conversations before they happen in real life.

What is the French family vocabulary you need to know?

French family vocabulary starts with immediate relatives and extends to extended family, in-laws, and step-relations. The core terms appear in daily conversations.

Core family terms:

French	Pronunciation	English
la famille	lah fah-mee	family
les parents	lay pah-rahn	parents
le père	luh pehr	father
la mère	lah mehr	mother
le fils	luh fees	son
la fille	lah fee-yuh	daughter
le frère	luh frehr	brother
la sœur	lah suhr	sister
le mari	luh mah-ree	husband
la femme	lah fahm	wife
l’enfant	lahn-fahn	child

Extended family:

French	Pronunciation	English
les grands-parents	lay grahn-pah-rahn	grandparents
le grand-père	luh grahn-pehr	grandfather
la grand-mère	lah grahn-mehr	grandmother
l’oncle	lohnkl	uncle
la tante	lah tahnt	aunt
le cousin/la cousine	luh koo-zahn/lah koo-zeen	cousin
le neveu	luh nuh-vuh	nephew
la nièce	lah nyess	niece
le petit-fils	luh puh-tee fees	grandson
la petite-fille	lah puh-teet fee-yuh	granddaughter
les petits-enfants	lay puh-tee zahn-fahn	grandchildren

In-laws and step-family:

French	Pronunciation	English
le beau-père	luh boh-pehr	father-in-law/stepfather
la belle-mère	lah behl-mehr	mother-in-law/stepmother
le beau-frère	luh boh-frehr	brother-in-law
la belle-sœur	lah behl-suhr	sister-in-law
le demi-frère	luh duh-mee frehr	half-brother
la demi-sœur	lah duh-mee suhr	half-sister

Protip: The prefix “beau-” (beautiful) is used for both in-laws and step-relations, which can cause confusion. Context usually makes the meaning clear, but you can specify “belle-mère par alliance” (mother-in-law by marriage) or “belle-mère de remariage” (stepmother from remarriage) if needed.

Idiomatic expressions:

• Tel père, tel fils – Like father, like son
• Les chiens ne font pas des chats – The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (literally: dogs don’t make cats)
• C’est de famille – It runs in the family
• Être comme les deux doigts de la main – To be as thick as thieves (literally: to be like two fingers of the hand)

How do you talk about your family in French?

You talk about your family in French using “ma famille” and possessive adjectives that match each family member’s gender. Start with:

• “Dans ma famille, il y a…” (In my family, there are…) or
•  “J’ai…” (I have…) followed by family members.

French grammar focuses on the family member’s gender, not yours. You say “mon père” whether you’re male or female because “père” is masculine. Everyone says “ma mère” because “mère” is feminine.

Introducing your family

French	Pronunciation	English
Dans ma famille, il y a…	dahn mah fah-mee, eel yah	In my family, there are…
J’ai deux frères et une sœur	zhay duh frehr ay oon suhr	I have two brothers and one sister
Je suis fils/fille unique	zhuh swee fees/fee-yuh oo-neek	I’m an only child
Je viens d’une famille nombreuse	zhuh vyahn doon fah-mee nohm-bruhz	I come from a large family
Mes parents sont mariés/divorcés	may pah-rahn sohn mah-ryay/dee-vor-say	My parents are married/divorced
J’ai grandi avec mes grands-parents	zhay grahn-dee ah-vehk may grahn-pah-rahn	I grew up with my grandparents
Je suis l’aîné(e)	zhuh swee lay-nay	I’m the oldest
Je suis le/la benjamin(e)	zhuh swee luh/lah behn-zhah-mehn	I’m the youngest
Voici ma famille	vwah-see mah fah-mee	This is my family
Je te présente mon frère, Thomas	zhuh tuh pray-zahnt mohn frehr, Thomas	I’d like you to meet my brother, Thomas
Permettez-moi de vous présenter mes parents	pehr-meh-tay mwah duh voo pray-zahn-tay may pah-rahn	Allow me to introduce my parents

Example conversation:

• Dans ma famille, il y a cinq personnes. 
• J’ai deux sœurs et un frère.
• Mes parents habitent encore à Lyon.

French speakers often include where family members live as part of standard introductions.

Describing family members

Talk about personality, appearance, and what your family members do. If you need French for Business vocabulary to describe professional occupations, that guide covers workplace terms in detail.

French	Pronunciation	English
Mon père travaille comme médecin	mohn pehr trah-vah-yuh cohm mayd-sahn	My father works as a doctor
Ma mère enseigne l’anglais	mah mehr ahn-sehn-yuh lahn-glay	My mother teaches English
Mon frère est étudiant	mohn frehr ay tay-too-dyahn	My brother is a student
Ma sœur est très gentille	mah suhr ay treh zhahn-tee-yuh	My sister is very kind
Il/Elle ressemble à mon père	eel/ehl ruh-sahmbl ah mohn pehr	He/She looks like my father
Mon grand-père est à la retraite	mohn grahn-pehr ay tah lah ruh-treht	My grandfather is retired
Ma grand-mère a 75 ans	mah grahn-mehr ah swah-sahnt-kahnz ahn	My grandmother is 75 years old
Mon oncle habite à Paris	mohn ohnkl ah-beet ah pah-ree	My uncle lives in Paris
Ma tante est très drôle	mah tahnt ay treh drohl	My aunt is very funny
Mes cousins sont jumeaux	may koo-zahn sohn zhoo-moh	My cousins are twins
Il/Elle a les yeux bleus	eel/ehl ah lay zyuh bluh	He/She has blue eyes
Il/Elle est grand(e) et mince	eel/ehl ay grahn ay mahnss	He/She is tall and thin
Mon fils a 10 ans	mohn fees ah deez ahn	My son is 10 years old
Ma fille est en première année	mah fee-yuh ay tahn pruh-myehr ah-nay	My daughter is in first grade
Mes enfants vont à l’école	may zahn-fahn vohn ah lay-kohl	My children go to school

Talking about family dynamics

Express relationships and interactions within the family.

French	Pronunciation	English
Nous sommes très proches	noo sohm treh prohsh	We’re very close
On s’entend bien	ohn sahn-tahn byahn	We get along well
On se ressemble beaucoup	ohn suh ruh-sahmbl boh-koo	We look very similar
Il/Elle me manque	eel/ehl muh mahnk	I miss him/her
Nous nous voyons souvent	noo noo vwah-yohn soo-vahn	We see each other often
C’est mon bras droit	say mohn brah drwah	He’s/She’s my right-hand person
Mes parents me soutiennent	may pah-rahn muh soo-tyehn	My parents support me
Mon frère m’énerve parfois	mohn frehr may-nehrv pahr-fwah	My brother annoys me sometimes
Ma sœur et moi sommes complices	mah suhr ay mwah sohm cohm-pleess	My sister and I are close/partners in crime
J’ai une bonne relation avec ma belle-famille	zhay oon bohn ruh-lah-syohn ah-vehk mah behl-fah-mee	I have a good relationship with my in-laws
Mes grands-parents me gâtent	may grahn-pah-rahn muh gaht	My grandparents spoil me

Common questions people ask about family

Conversation starters and how to respond naturally.

French	Pronunciation	English
Parlez-moi de votre famille	pahr-lay mwah duh voh-truh fah-mee	Tell me about your family
Avez-vous des frères et sœurs?	ah-vay voo day frehr ay suhr	Do you have brothers and sisters?
Combien d’enfants avez-vous?	kohm-byahn dahn-fahn ah-vay voo	How many children do you have?
Où habitent vos parents?	oo ah-beet voh pah-rahn	Where do your parents live?
Êtes-vous proche de votre famille?	eht voo prohsh duh voh-truh fah-mee	Are you close to your family?
Que font vos parents?	kuh fohn voh pah-rahn	What do your parents do?
Vos enfants vont à quelle école?	voh zahn-fahn vohn ah kehl ay-kohl	What school do your children attend?
Vous ressemblez à qui dans la famille?	voo ruh-sahmb-lay ah kee dahn lah fah-mee	Who do you look like in the family?

Talking about family events and gatherings

Discuss celebrations, traditions, visits, and special occasions. For birthday wishes in French, that guide covers all the variations you’ll need.

French	Pronunciation	English
Nous fêtons Noël en famille	noo feh-tohn noh-ehl ahn fah-mee	We celebrate Christmas as a family
C’est l’anniversaire de ma mère	say lah-nee-vehr-sehr duh mah mehr	It’s my mother’s birthday
Nous allons rendre visite à mes parents	noo zah-lohn rahn-druh vee-zeet ah may pah-rahn	We’re going to visit my parents
Ma famille se réunit tous les dimanches	mah fah-mee suh ray-oo-nee too lay dee-mahnsh	My family gathers every Sunday
On organise un repas de famille	ohn ohr-gah-neez uhn ruh-pah duh fah-mee	We’re organizing a family meal
C’est une tradition familiale	say toon trah-dee-syohn fah-mee-lee-ahl	It’s a family tradition
Mes cousins viennent pour les vacances	may koo-zahn vyehn poor lay vah-kahns	My cousins are coming for the holidays
Nous faisons une réunion de famille	noo fuh-zohn oon ray-oo-nyohn duh fah-mee	We’re having a family reunion
Ma grand-mère prépare le dîner	mah grahn-mehr pray-pahr luh dee-nay	My grandmother is preparing dinner
Toute la famille sera là	toot lah fah-mee suh-rah lah	The whole family will be there
On célèbre le baptême de mon neveu	ohn say-lehbr luh bah-tehm duh mohn nuh-vuh	We’re celebrating my nephew’s baptism
C’est le mariage de ma sœur	say luh mah-ryahzh duh mah suhr	It’s my sister’s wedding

Cultural context: French families treat shared meals as important social rituals. Sunday lunch often involves multiple generations and lasts several hours. Arriving on time, bringing a small gift (wine, flowers, chocolates), and staying throughout the meal shows respect.

Practice these scenarios with French tutors who can correct your mistakes and teach you the natural phrases French people use in real conversations.

French vocabulary for romantic relationships

French vocabulary for romantic relationships covers dating, marriage, and social connections. These phrases help you discuss everything from first dates to introducing your partner to family.

Dating and relationships

How French people call their lovers

French terms of endearment go far beyond the basics listed here, offering dozens of affectionate nicknames.

French	Pronunciation	English
Mon amour	mohn nah-moor	My love
Mon cœur	mohn kuhr	My heart
Mon chéri/Ma chérie	mohn shay-ree/mah shay-ree	My dear/darling
Mon bébé	mohn bay-bay	My baby
Ma puce	mah pooss	My flea (affectionate)
Mon ange	mohn ahnzh	My angel
Doudou	doo-doo	Sweetie
Ma belle/Mon beau	mah behl/mohn boh	My beautiful one

Dating  phrases

French	Pronunciation	English
Tu veux sortir avec moi?	too vuh sohr-teer ah-vehk mwah	Do you want to go out with me?
On pourrait aller prendre un verre	ohn poo-ray ah-lay prahn-druh uhn vehr	We could go for a drink
Tu me plais beaucoup	too muh play boh-koo	I like you a lot
J’aimerais mieux te connaître	zheh-muh-ray myuh tuh koh-neh-truh	I’d like to get to know you better
On se revoit quand?	ohn suh ruh-vwah kahn	When will we see each other again?
Tu es libre ce week-end?	too ay lee-bruh suh week-end	Are you free this weekend?
Je passe te chercher à 20h	zhuh pahss tuh shehr-shay ah vahn-tuhr	I’ll pick you up at 8pm
C’était une belle soirée	say-tay oon behl swah-ray	It was a nice evening

In-a-relationship phrases

French	Pronunciation	English
On sort ensemble depuis six mois	ohn sohr tahn-sahmbl duh-pwee see mwah	We’ve been dating for six months
C’est mon copain/ma copine	say mohn koh-pahn/mah koh-peen	He’s my boyfriend/She’s my girlfriend
C’est mon compagnon/ma compagne	say mohn kohm-pah-nyohn/mah kohm-pahn-yuh	He’s my partner/She’s my partner
Je t’aime	zhuh tehm	I love you
Tu me manques	too muh mahnk	I miss you
On habite ensemble	ohn nah-beet ahn-sahmbl	We live together
C’est sérieux entre nous	say say-ryuh ahn-truh noo	It’s serious between us
On est faits l’un pour l’autre	ohn ay fay luhn poor loh-truh	We’re made for each other

Breakup phrases

French	Pronunciation	English
On doit parler	ohn dwah pahr-lay	We need to talk
Je pense qu’on devrait se séparer	zhuh pahnss kohn duh-vray suh say-pah-ray	I think we should separate
Ce n’est plus comme avant	suh nay ploo cohm ah-vahn	It’s not like before anymore
On a besoin de faire une pause	ohn ah buh-zwahn duh fehr oon pohz	We need to take a break
C’est fini entre nous	say fee-nee ahn-truh noo	It’s over between us

Marriage and commitment

French	Pronunciation	English
Veux-tu m’épouser?	vuh too may-poo-zay	Will you marry me?
On va se fiancer	ohn vah suh fee-ahn-say	We’re going to get engaged
C’est mon fiancé/ma fiancée	say mohn fee-ahn-say/mah fee-ahn-say	He’s my fiancé/She’s my fiancée
Nous allons nous marier	noo zah-lohn noo mah-ryay	We’re going to get married
C’est mon mari/ma femme	say mohn mah-ree/mah fahm	He’s my husband/She’s my wife
C’est mon époux/mon épouse	say mohn nay-poo/mohn nay-pooz	He’s my spouse/She’s my spouse
Nous sommes mariés depuis 10 ans	noo sohm mah-ryay duh-pwee deez ahn	We’ve been married for 10 years
On célèbre notre anniversaire de mariage	ohn say-lehbr noh-truh ah-nee-vehr-sehr duh mah-ryahzh	We’re celebrating our wedding anniversary
Nous attendons un enfant	noo zah-tahn-dohn uhn ahn-fahn	We’re expecting a child
On fonde une famille	ohn fohnd oon fah-mee	We’re starting a family
C’est le père/la mère de mes enfants	say luh pehr/lah mehr duh may zahn-fahn	He’s/She’s the father/mother of my children
Nous renouvelons nos vœux	noo ruh-noo-vuh-lohn noh vuh	We’re renewing our vows

Family connections in romantic contexts

Understanding in-laws and step-family terms helps you discuss complex family situations.

French	Pronunciation	English
Je rencontre mes beaux-parents ce week-end	zhuh rahn-kohnt may boh-pah-rahn suh week-end	I’m meeting my in-laws this weekend
C’est ma belle-mère	say mah behl-mehr	She’s my mother-in-law/stepmother
C’est mon beau-père	say mohn boh-pehr	He’s my father-in-law/stepfather
Mon beau-frère habite à Lyon	mohn boh-frehr ah-beet ah lee-ohn	My brother-in-law lives in Lyon
J’ai une bonne relation avec ma belle-famille	zhay oon bohn ruh-lah-syohn ah-vehk mah behl-fah-mee	I have a good relationship with my in-laws
Je te présente à mes parents	zhuh tuh pray-zahnt ah may pah-rahn	I’m introducing you to my parents
Mes parents aimeraient te rencontrer	may pah-rahn ay-muh-ray tuh rahn-kohn-tray	My parents would like to meet you
C’est sérieux, je veux que tu rencontres ma famille	say say-ryuh, zhuh vuh kuh too rahn-kohnt mah fah-mee	It’s serious, I want you to meet my family

Cultural context: When meeting your partner’s family, start with “vous” (formal you) and wait for them to invite you to use “tu.” This invitation might take months or even years depending on the family.

Friendship and social networks

French distinguishes between different levels of friendship more precisely than English.

French	Pronunciation	English
C’est mon meilleur ami/ma meilleure amie	say mohn meh-yuhr ah-mee/mah meh-yuhr ah-mee	He’s/She’s my best friend
C’est un(e) ami(e) proche	say tuh(n) ah-mee prohsh	He’s/She’s a close friend
C’est un copain/une copine	say tuhn koh-pahn/oon koh-peen	He’s/She’s a friend
C’est une connaissance	say toon koh-neh-sahnss	He’s/She’s an acquaintance
C’est mon collègue/ma collègue	say mohn koh-lehg/mah koh-lehg	He’s/She’s my colleague
C’est le parrain/la marraine de mon fils	say luh pah-rahn/lah mah-rehn duh mohn fees	He’s/She’s my son’s godfather/godmother
C’est mon mentor	say mohn mahn-tohr	He’s/She’s my mentor
On se connaît depuis l’enfance	ohn suh koh-nay duh-pwee lahn-fahnss	We’ve known each other since childhood

How do possessive adjectives work with family members?

Possessive adjectives in French match the gender and number of the family member, not the gender of the person speaking. The word “my” changes to “mon,” “ma,” or “mes” depending on what you’re talking about, not who you are.

The three forms of “my”:

• mon – before masculine singular nouns (mon père, mon frère, mon fils)
• ma – before feminine singular nouns (ma mère, ma sœur, ma fille)
• mes – before plural nouns of any gender (mes parents, mes frères, mes sœurs)

Exception: Use “mon” instead of “ma” before feminine nouns starting with a vowel. Example: “mon épouse” (my wife) in formal contexts.

Complete possessive adjective chart:

Person	Masculine	Feminine	Plural
my	mon père	ma mère	mes parents
your (informal)	ton père	ta mère	tes parents
his/her/its	son père	sa mère	ses parents
our	notre père	notre mère	nos parents
your (formal/plural)	votre père	votre mère	vos parents
their	leur père	leur mère	leurs parents

Key insight: “son père” means both “his father” and “her father.” French doesn’t distinguish the speaker’s gender in possessive adjectives like English does with “his” and “her.”

Practice examples:

• Mon frère et ma sœur habitent à Paris (My brother and my sister live in Paris)
• Mes grands-parents viennent dimanche (My grandparents are coming Sunday)
• Sa famille est très grande (His/Her family is very large)
• Notre père travaille à l’étranger (Our father works abroad)

What cultural differences should you know about French families?

French families maintain stronger formal boundaries than many English-speaking cultures. Understanding these differences helps you avoid social missteps.

Key cultural points:

• Vous vs. tu: Always use “vous” (formal you) with a partner’s parents or in-laws until they explicitly invite you to use “tu.” This invitation might take months or years. Wait for them to say “On peut se tutoyer” (We can use tu with each other).
• Family meals: Sunday lunch often involves multiple generations and lasts several hours. Arrive on time, bring a small gift (wine, flowers, chocolates), and stay at the table throughout the meal.
• Privacy matters: French culture values privacy more than cultures where asking about jobs, salaries, or relationship status is normal small talk. Stick to safe topics like food, wine, regional culture, or travel when first meeting a family.
• Regional variations: Southern French families (Provence, Occitanie) tend to be warmer and more demonstrative with physical affection like “faire la bise” (cheek kissing). Northern French families may be more reserved.
• Blended families: Modern French families include many step-parents, half-siblings, and complex custody arrangements. The vocabulary (beau-père, belle-mère, demi-frère) gets used frequently and discussed matter-of-factly.
• Elder care: French families often keep aging parents at home longer than is common in the US or UK. Asking about grandparents’ health is a standard conversation topic.

How can you practice French family vocabulary effectively?

You practice French family vocabulary effectively through repeated conversations about your actual family, not just memorizing word lists. Real practice means describing your family members, their relationships to each other, and the dynamics between them in natural French.

Create a family tree in French:
Draw your family tree and label every person with their French relationship term. Practice describing relationships: “Marie est la sœur de mon père, donc c’est ma tante” (Marie is my father’s sister, so she’s my aunt). This visual tool helps you internalize the vocabulary through spatial relationships.

Record yourself talking about your family:
Spend 2-3 minutes describing your family in French, then listen back. You’ll catch mistakes in gender agreement, possessive adjectives, and pronunciation that you miss while speaking. Do this weekly and compare recordings to track improvement.

Use your family in example sentences:
Instead of textbook examples like “My father is tall,” create real sentences: “Mon père travaille comme médecin et ma mère enseigne l’anglais” (My father works as a doctor and my mother teaches English). Personal examples stick in memory better than generic ones.

Practice with native speakers:
Conversation practice with online French tutors gives you feedback on natural phrasing that sounds right to native ears. A tutor catches mistakes like saying “ma famille se compose de” (my family is composed of) when native speakers would say “dans ma famille, il y a” (in my family, there are). These subtle differences separate textbook French from conversational French.

The best way to learn French combines structured practice with real conversations, giving you both accuracy and fluency.

Ask about their families too:
Learning works both ways. Ask your tutor or conversation partner “Parlez-moi de votre famille” (Tell me about your family) and listen for the phrases and structures they use naturally. This gives you authentic models to copy.

Use family photos as prompts:
Keep family photos on your phone and practice describing who’s who in French: “Voici ma grand-mère maternelle avec ses trois filles” (This is my maternal grandmother with her three daughters). Visual prompts make abstract vocabulary concrete.

For more structured support, explore French learning resources that complement your conversation practice.

Protip: Focus on the 20-30 family terms you’ll actually use for your specific family situation rather than memorizing every possible relationship term. If you don’t have cousins, don’t spend time on that vocabulary. If you have a large extended family, that’s where you need depth.

Learn French faster with personal guidance from expert French tutors trusted by over 5 million learners worldwide. Book a trial lesson today and practice talking about your family with a native speaker who can correct your possessive adjectives and teach you the phrases French people use.

FAQ

How would you say family in French?
“Family” in French is “la famille” (pronounced lah fah-mee). It’s a feminine noun, so you always use the feminine article “la.” To talk about your family, say “ma famille” (my family) or “Dans ma famille, il y a…” (In my family, there are…).

Is it le famille or la famille?
It’s “la famille” (feminine), never “le famille.” The word “famille” is always feminine in French, so it takes the feminine article “la.” This applies to all forms: “la famille,” “une famille,” “ma famille,” “ta famille.”

Are there slang terms for family in French?
Yes, French has several informal terms for family. “La fam” is youth slang for family. “Les vieux” (literally “the old ones”) informally means parents. “Frérot” and “frangine” are casual terms for brother and sister. “Mes darons” is slang for “my parents.” These terms work among friends but avoid them in formal contexts or when meeting someone’s family for the first time.