Talking about your family is one of the first things you learn to do in French. It is a concrete topic, useful from beginner level to introduce yourself and get to know people.
Here is the essential French family vocabulary, a short model text and an exercise to practise. The French terms are kept in French, with their meaning explained.
Key takeaways
- Family vocabulary is among the first useful words for introducing yourself in French.
- Learn the terms in pairs (masculine / feminine) and by generation.
- Watch out for words with beau- and belle-, which refer to in-laws.
- Put the vocabulary into practice with a short text and an exercise.
French family vocabulary
Here are the main family members, with the matching family relationship.
| French term | Family relationship |
|---|---|
| grand-père / grand-mère | Grandfather / grandmother: your parent’s parent |
| père (papa) / mère (maman) | Father / mother: your parents |
| frère / sœur | Brother / sister: your parents’ other children |
| mari / femme | Husband / wife: the spouses in a married couple |
| fils / fille | Son / daughter: your children |
| parents / enfants | Parents / children: the generations above and below you |
| oncle / tante | Uncle / aunt: your parent’s brother or sister |
| neveu / nièce | Nephew / niece: your brother or sister’s children |
| cousin / cousine | Cousin: your uncle or aunt’s children |
| gendre / belle-fille | Son-in-law / daughter-in-law: your daughter’s husband / your son’s wife |
| beau-père / belle-mère | Father-in-law / mother-in-law (or step-parent) |
| beau-frère / belle-sœur | Brother-in-law / sister-in-law |
| petit-fils / petite-fille | Grandson / granddaughter: your children’s children |
| grands-parents / petits-enfants | Grandparents / grandchildren: two generations above / below you |
Short text about a family
Read this short French text and spot the family relationships between the people.
Bonjour, je m appelle Antoine. J ai 24 ans. Je suis le frère de Jacques et Jeanne. Jacques est mon frère aîné et Jeanne ma petite sœur. Jeanne est mariée à Paul. Mon beau-frère Paul, son mari, est avocat. Mon neveu Philippe et ma nièce Anne sont jumeaux. Mes parents, Pierre et Marie, sont heureux d avoir des petits-enfants si mignons! Philippe et Anne aiment passer les vacances chez leurs grands-parents. Mon père Pierre aime bien son gendre Paul, et Paul aime beaucoup ses beaux-parents.
Exercise: find the family relationship
Complete each French sentence with the right family term.
- Le père de ma mère est mon …
- Mon … est le frère de ma mère.
- La fille de ma mère est ma …
- Le mari de ma sœur est mon …
- Je suis le … de mes grands-parents.
- Ma sœur est la … de mon père.
- Ma grand-mère est la … de mon grand-père.
- La fille de ma sœur est ma …
- Je suis le … de ma mère.
- Les enfants de ma fille sont mes …
Show the answers
1. grand-père · 2. oncle · 3. sœur · 4. beau-frère · 5. petit-fils · 6. fille · 7. femme (épouse) · 8. nièce · 9. fils · 10. petits-enfants
Tip: Draw your family tree and write each member in French. Linking a word to a real person helps enormously to remember it.
Going further
Want to talk about your family out loud and grow your vocabulary? Practise with a native teacher in one-on-one online lessons, with a free trial.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say family members in French?
The main ones are: père, mère, frère, sœur, fils, fille, grand-père, grand-mère, oncle, tante, neveu, nièce, cousin, cousine.
What is the difference between beau-père and beau-fils?
Beau-père is your spouse’s father (or your mother’s new husband); beau-fils is your daughter’s husband or your spouse’s son.
How are in-law words formed in French?
With beau- and belle-: beau-frère, belle-sœur, beau-père, belle-mère, belle-fille. They refer to family by marriage.
How can I learn family vocabulary quickly?
Learn the words in masculine/feminine pairs, link them to your own family and practise with a short text and exercises.
Is family vocabulary useful for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the first topics covered: it lets you introduce yourself and talk about your relatives from level A1.
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