What is Family Vocabulary in French?
Family and relationships vocabulary in French covers the language of kinship — parents, siblings, extended family, and relationship terms. Mastering these words helps you discuss your family and understand French family structures.
Family vocabulary includes words like mère (mother), père (father), frère (brother), sœur (sister), and enfant (child) — fundamental terms for describing family members and relationships in French.
- 1↓Parentsmère (mother), père (father)
- 2↓Enfantsfils (son), fille (daughter)
- 3↓Frères et Sœursfrère (brother), sœur (sister)
- 4Famille Étenduegrand-mère, grand-père, tante, oncle
Step-by-step worked examples
My mother and father have three children.
Ma mère = My mother et = and mon père = my father ont = have trois enfants = three children Full: Ma mère et mon père ont trois enfants.
I have a younger sister and an older brother.
J'ai = I have une petite sœur = a younger sister et = and un frère aîné = an older brother Full: J'ai une petite sœur et un frère aîné.
My grandmother loves to spend time with her grandchildren.
Ma grand-mère = My grandmother aime = loves passer du temps = spend time avec = with ses petits-enfants = her grandchildren Full: Ma grand-mère aime passer du temps avec ses petits-enfants.
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.What does 'mère' mean?
Q2.Which word means 'brother'?
Q3.Complete: J'ai une ___ cadette.
Q4.What is 'grand-mère'?
The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What is Family Vocabulary in French?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.
Common mistakes
Confusing 'mère' (mother) with 'mère' (sea — homophone). — Correct: Mère = mother; mer = sea. Context matters!
Mixing up 'frère' (brother) and 'sœur' (sister). — Correct: Frère = brother (masculine); sœur = sister (feminine).
Using 'fils' to mean 'son' in a formal way. — Correct: Fils = son; it's also used in names (like 'Dupont fils' = Dupont Junior).
Forgetting gender agreement in possessive adjectives. — Correct: Mon père (my father — masculine); ma mère (my mother — feminine).
FAQ
What is family vocabulary in French?
Words for family members and relationships — like mère, père, frère, sœur, enfant, grand-mère, and oncle.
How do you say 'mother' and 'father' in French?
Mère (mother) and père (father) — the basic parental terms.
What's the word for 'sister' and 'brother' in French?
Sœur (sister) and frère (brother) — the sibling terms.
How do you say 'grandmother' and 'grandfather'?
Grand-mère (grandmother) and grand-père (grandfather).