Family vocabulary is one of the first sets every learner needs. The words themselves are easy; the tricky part is the possessive adjectives (mon, ma, mes) that come with them.
Immediate family
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| la famille | family | |
| les parents | parents | |
| le père / papa | father / dad | |
| la mère / maman | mother / mom | |
| le fils | son | Pronounced 'feece' |
| la fille | daughter / girl | |
| le frère | brother | |
| la sœur | sister | |
| le mari | husband | |
| la femme | wife / woman | |
| l'enfant | child | |
Extended family
| French | English |
|---|
| le grand-père / papi | grandfather / grandpa |
| la grand-mère / mamie | grandmother / grandma |
| les grands-parents | grandparents |
| le petit-fils | grandson |
| la petite-fille | granddaughter |
| l'oncle | uncle |
| la tante | aunt |
| le cousin / la cousine | cousin (m/f) |
| le neveu | nephew |
| la nièce | niece |
In-laws and step-family
| French | English |
|---|
| le beau-père | father-in-law / stepfather |
| la belle-mère | mother-in-law / stepmother |
| le beau-frère | brother-in-law |
| la belle-sœur | sister-in-law |
| le demi-frère | half-brother / stepbrother |
Possessive examples
Mon/ma/mes change based on what's possessed (NOT based on the speaker's gender).
| French | English |
|---|
| mon père | my father |
| ma mère | my mother |
| mes parents | my parents |
| ton frère | your brother |
| ta sœur | your sister |
| son fils | his/her son |
| sa fille | his/her daughter |
| notre famille | our family |
| leurs enfants | their children |
Tips to memorize this list faster
- 'Son' and 'sa' do NOT indicate gender of the owner — only of the thing owned. 'Sa mère' can mean his mother OR her mother.
- Before a vowel, 'ma/ta/sa' become 'mon/ton/son': 'mon amie' (my female friend), not 'ma amie'.
- 'Beau-' and 'belle-' covers both in-laws AND step-family. Context tells you which.