French for Parents 101: Baby Talk, Vocabulary Lists (+ Tips!)

7 min read

A useful article for parents who want to raise French-speaking children. Includes vocabulary lists, music, and many more!

Are you planning to raise a bilingual child? Are you moving to a French-speaking area and want to be able to talk to your kids in French? Or maybe you aren’t really a parent yourself but you spend a lot of time with French children or their parents?

No matter what your reasons may be, we know how important it is to find materials that will help you learn how to talk to children in French. So in this article, you’ll find plenty of resources that will be very useful in raising and/or interacting with French-speaking (or soon-to-be bilingual) kids.

The topics here include:

• A list of words and phrases for baby talk: learn the words French parents use to talk to babies and toddlers
• Vocabulary related to baby things: expand your vocabulary with the French words for baby stuff like crib, bib, milk bottle, etc.
• Other useful tips: get links to child-friendly French movies, lullabies and nursery rhymes, a playlist of music for kids, and cartoon shows.

So whether you have a newborn baby (le nouveau-né), a toddler (un bambin), or a school-age kid, read up because this article has loads of great stuff in store for you.

But before we go through the terms and vocabulary let me teach you how to say baby in French: it is bébé or mon bébé if you want to say my baby. And here’s a little reminder, when talking to children in French, normally use “tu” when addressing one child; use “vous” when speaking to several children. This applies to people who baby-talk to their pets as well.

So with that, let’s get started.

Lesson 1: Baby-Related Compliments

Let’s say you’re in a French-speaking place and you’re either with your baby or you’re meeting someone who brought their baby with them. You (or the other person) would of course, say nice things about the baby. Here’s what to say:

You could also say this (as long as it’s true).

• “Qu’est-ce qu’il (ou elle) vous ressemble !”He/she looks just like you!

Or this one which is very commonly said by French people:

• “il/elle est à croquer.”He/she looks good enough to eat.

In that last one, there’s no need to panic; nobody is going to eat your baby. It’s just an expression that is quite common not only among French people, but in other countries, too.

Lesson 2: Terms of endearment to call a baby

The French call their kids a lot of different nicknames. Some are quite silly and quirky and won’t translate well to other languages (like ma crotte which means “my poo”), but plenty of these terms revolve around words related to food or animals.

Here are some of the most popular:

• Ma puceMy flea
• Mon angeMy angel
• Mon biquetMy little goat (kid)
• Mon chatonMy kitten
• Mon chouMy sweetie (lit. cabbage; my pastry)
• Mon chouchouMy favorite
• Mon cocoMy egg
• Mon lapinMy rabbit
• Mon lapinouMy bunny
• Mon mignonMy cutie
• Mon poussinMy baby chicken

You can also check out a separate article about French Terms of Endearment here. It has a total of 80 sweet pet names you can use for your baby (or for any loved one, in general).

Lesson 3: Baby Talk (Les Mots Des Bébés)

French children, like their counterparts from other parts of the world, have their own set of words that are completely different from what the adults use every day. You’ll notice that most of these words are usually derived from the actual words and repeated twice or just made a tad more cute-sounding.

So here, we have compiled a list of French baby talk terms that you can use when talking to children.

• areuhbaby sounds; similar to googoo gaga
• mamanmother
• papadaddy
• tata / tatieauntie; short for une tante
• tontonuncle; short for oncle
• mémé or Mamiegrandma; short for grand-mère or bonne maman
• pépé or Papi/ Papygrandpa; short for grand-père, grand-papa or bon papa
• le dodosleep / beddy-byes (baby talk)
• au dodo !go to bed!
• fais dodogo night-night
• un petit dodonap time
• le lolomilk; baby talk for le lait
• tu veux du lolo ?You want milk?
• jouons !let’s play!
• guili guilitickle tickle
• le nounoursteddy bear; baby talk for ‘un ours’
• le doudoublankie (or stuffed animal) that a child goes to sleep with
• le joujoutoy
• le pipipee
• faire pipito go wee-wee
• le caca/ le popopoo
• faire cacato go poo-poo
• le proutfart; baby talk for ‘une flatulence’ (formal) or ‘un pet’ (informal)
• le zizi / la zézetteweenie/ private part
• un boboa boo-boo; baby talk for a cut or bruise
• Ce n’est qu’un petit boboIt’s just a little boo-boo.
  * used to soothe a child who hurt himself/herself
• un minoukitty
• un toutoudoggy
• un dadahorsey; baby talk for horse
• Regarde le minou !
  Regarde le toutou !
  Regarde le dada !Look at the kitty!
  
  Look at the doggy!
  
  Look at the horsey!
  * used to distract or play with the baby
• Quel est le mot magique ?What’s the magic word?
  *You can ask the child this question when you want him/her to say thank you after you give him something.

Lesson 4: Vocabulary related to Baby Things

Of course, you also need to know what to call things and equipment babies and kids use. Here is a list:

• le laitmilk
• la chambre de bébébaby room/ nursery
• le biberonbaby milk bottle
• les couchesnappies/ diapers
• l’épingle (f) de sûreténappy safety pin
• Une tétine/ une sucettepacifier
• la chaise hautehigh chair
• la poussettestroller (push chair)
• le landaua pram/ baby carriage
• le porte-bébébaby carrier
• le lit de bébécrib
• la nourriture pour bébésbaby food
• une poupéedoll
• le berceaucot
• le siège auto pour bébéscar safety seat for babies
• le trotteurwalker
• le bavoirbib
• le talc pour bébésbaby powder
• la pommade calmantebaby cream

Lesson 5: French music for kids

Now that you already know how to talk to children in French and you already know what to call the baby necessities, let’s take it a step further with music you can play—and sing—for children.

Here is a nice video about French lullabies and nursery rhymes. The lyrics may be found in the animated video, so you can sing along with your child or lull them to sleep with these songs.

If you also need child-friendly movies that you can watch with the children, there is also another article listing really nice movies. Check it out here.  Plus, if you would like some cartoons that will help immerse the children in the French language, you can check them out at Bandgee.com.

So, you’ve got the vocabulary, music, movies, cartoons…

Don’t forget to share this with your friends and family who would benefit from this article. Merci!