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No matter which part of the world you live in, family is an inescapable part of your life. And it’s the same for relations in French! Whether you’re meeting your friend’s (or significant other’s) family (la famille) or simply trying to connect and make new acquaintances, knowing how to address family (immediate or extended) is valuable. This blog will guide you with the essential vocabulary and phrases to confidently navigate these conversations. Ready, set, lingo!
This Blog Includes:
Relations in French: General Family Terms
Before learning the specific relations in French, you should be familiar with some general family terms. They are used to indicate different types of family, helping you describe them clearly to your friends and acquaintances. They are as follows:
| Term (in French) | English Translation |
| un ménage | a household |
| les parents | the parents |
| les enfants | the children/kids |
| un arbre généalogique | a family tree |
| une génération | a generation |
| un couple | a couple |
| la famille par alliance | family by marriage |
| un famille recomposée | a blended family |
Relations in French: Immediate Family
Let’s start with the building blocks for learning relations in French: your immediate family or “la famille proche”. While “parents” in French translates directly to “parents” (peh-ron), it’s also used to refer to relatives. Here are some key relations you need to remember:
| Relation | English Translation |
| Mother | Mère (informal: maman) |
| Father | Père (informal: papa) |
| Brother | frère |
| Sister | sœur |
| Son | fils |
| Daughter | fille |
Family Hierarchy
Every family follows a certain order to distinguish the youngest to oldest members. Here’s a look into what the members are addressed as in family hierarchy in French:
| Hierarchy | English Translation |
| un aîné/une aînée | first born son/daughter (elder brother/sister) |
| un cadet/une cadette | younger brother/sister (second-born son/daughter) |
| le benjamin/la benjamine | the youngest child |
| les aïeuls/ aïeules | the grandparents |
| les aïeux | the ancestors |
Relations in French: Extended Family
After your immediate family relations in French comes “la famille élargie” or the extended family. They refer to other family members linked to your parents (such as their parents, siblings, and their children), as shown in the table below:
| Relation | English Translation |
| Uncle | oncle |
| Aunt | tante |
| Nephew | neveu |
| Niece | nièce |
| Cousin | cousin (male)Cousine (female) |
| Grandfather | grand-père |
| Grandmother | grand-mère |
| Great grandfather | arrière-grand-père |
| Great grandmother | arrière-grand-mère |
| Grandson | petit-fils |
| Granddaughter | petite-fille |
| Great grandson | arrière-petit-fils |
Relations in French: Family By Marriage
Introducing your in-laws to others require you to use “Belle-” or “Beau-” before the family relations in French (e.g., belle-mère for mother-in-law). The same goes for addressing your step-parents and siblings. Here’s how to use these terms:
| Relation | English Translation |
| un beau-père | a father-in-law, step-father |
| une belle-mère | a mother-in-law, step-mother |
| le gendre | the son-in-law |
| la bru | the daughter-in-law |
| un beau-fils | a son-in-law, step-son |
| une belle-fille | a daughter-in-law, step-daughter |
| un beau-frère | a brother-in-law, step-brother |
| une belle-soeur | a sister-in-law, step-sister |
| un demi-frère | a half-brother |
| une demi-soeur | a half-sister |
Relations in French: Biological/Adoptive Family
While referring to your biological/adoptive relations in French, you need to use the term “biologique” or “adoptif” after the term of family member you are addressing (ex- père biologique, mère biologique). These terms are also used for foster relations as shown in the table below:
| Relation | English Translation |
| père biologique | biological father |
| mère biologique | biological mother |
| père adoptif | adoptive father |
| mère adoptif | adoptive mother |
| fils adoptif | adopted son |
| fille adoptif | adopted daughter |
| père nourricier/père d’accueil | foster father |
| mère nourricière/mère d’accueil | foster mother |
| enfant placé dans une famille | foster child |
Godparents and Godchildren
Sometimes, there are people in your life that you are not related to by blood but have a strong bond with them. A godparent generally serves as a substitute for the child’s actual parent in case of their absence/demise. Here’s how you refer to these relations in French that go beyond family:
| Relation | English Translation |
| parrain | godfather |
| marraine | godmother |
| filleul | godson |
| filleule | goddaughter |
FAQs
Ans: The English translation of the word relations in French is “le rapport”. It also translates into “connection”, indicating the people you share blood relations with.
Ans: The word “relationship” translates into “le relation” in French.
Ans: Here are a few synonyms for the word relations in French:
1. La romance
2. La aventure amoureuse
3. La liaison
4. Le rapport
5. La aventure galante
So this was all about family relations in French. Stay tuned to Leverage Edu for more informative content on the French language daily.
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