French vocabulary: Family and friends
Learn some new vocabulary about family and friends in French. Ideal for beginners who want to learn French words and terms for everyday life
When do you use “la” and “le” in describing family and friends in French? It may be confusing at first but it really is as simple as ABC. In these family terms, la goes with a feminine noun and le with a masculine noun, usually matching the person’s gender. Remember that grammatical gender belongs to the noun: la famille, for example, stays feminine regardless of its members.
The hip hop American slang “boo” is often said to come from the French word “beau”, which is an adjective placed in front of a male noun.
“Belle”, on the other hand, goes with a female noun.
Discover below how to use this together with the usual French words relating to family, relatives and friends.
Now let’s discover words and phrases related to family and friends in French!
Family (la famille) vocabulary:
- la filledaughter
- le filsson
- le cousin, la cousinecousin
- le demi-frèrehalf-brother
- la demi-soeurhalf-sister
- la famillefamily
- la femmewife
- le frèrebrother
- le gendreson-in-law
- le jumeau, la jumelletwin brother, sister
- la mamanmom
- le marihusband
- la mèremother
- le neveunephew
- la nièceniece
- l’oncle (m.)uncle
- le papadad
- les parentsparents
- le pèrefather
- la soeursister
- la tanteaunt
- la brudaughter-in-law
- le beau-filsson-in-law, stepson
- la belle-filledaughter-in-law, stepdaughter
- le beau-frèrebrother-in-law; sometimes stepbrother, depending on family usage
- la belle-sœursister-in-law; sometimes stepsister, depending on family usage
- le beau-pèrefather-in-law, stepfather
- la belle-mèremother-in-law, stepmother
- la famille procheclose family
- la famille éloignéeextended family, distant relatives
In family compounds, beau- (m.) or belle- (f.) can express an in-law or step relationship. The exact meaning depends on the noun and the family context.
Compound phrases such as la belle-fille and le beau-fils have a double meaning. They are used to express daughter-in-law and son-in-law. In the following sentences, note that la bru also means daughter-in-law. Similarly le gendre means son-in-law as well.
- Ma belle-fille est la femme de mon fils. My daughter-in-law is my son’s wife.
- Ma bru est la femme de mon fils. My daughter-in-law is my son’s wife.
The adjective grand or grands placed before the nouns mère, père, or parents serves to express grandmother, grandfather, and grandparents.
- E.g.: Ma grand-mère est grande. My grandmother is tall.
The adjective petite, petit, or petits placed before the nouns fille, fils, and enfants serves to express granddaughter, grandson, and grandchildren.
- E.g.: Ma petite-fille s’appelle Laura. My granddaughter’s name is Laura.
The prefix arrière- placed before grand-mère, grand-père, grands-parents, petite-fille, petit-fils, and petits-enfants serves to express great.
- J’ai des photos de mes arrière-grands-parents. I have pictures of my great-grandparents.
- Mon arrière-grand-mère était pianiste. My great-grandmother was a pianist.
- Mon arrière-grand-père est né en 1890. My great-grandfather was born in 1890.
Friends (les amis) vocabulary
- l’ami(e) intimeclose friend
- les amoureux (m. pl.)lovers (people in love)
- l’amant(e)lover
- le/la camaradebuddy / friend
- le/la collèguecolleague
- la connaissanceacquaintance
There you have it, important vocabulary you need to know so you can engage in a conversation about your friends and family in French.
