How To Talk About Family In French

You can choose tes amies, but you can’t choose ta famille. (So you might as well learn how to talk about them.)
french family

Whether you’re a native Spanish speaker, you only know English or you’re fluent in French, there’s one thing you share with almost every other person on the planet — you have a family. Sure, you may not always like that reality, but it’s one you can’t readily avoid; family is an essential part of what it means to be human. So when you’re learning a new language like French, Italian or Spanish it only makes sense that you should learn how to talk about your family in French, Italian or Spanish — or whatever your target language is.

Everyone around the world will likely need to talk about their family at some point, so it’s one of the most valuable language skills you can develop as you set out on your language learning journey. Plus, it makes great fodder for small talk when you’re getting to know someone (though some cultures might consider it a little too intimate and personal for first impressions, so be wary of that). 

If it’s the French language you’re pursuing, look no further; we’ve got your comprehensive guide to talking about family in French right here. Make sure to click the play buttons next to each word to hear how they’re pronounced. Learning about la famille has never been easier! 

Family terms in French explained in an infographic of the French family tree covering four generations.

The Must-Know Terms For Talking About Family In French

family — la famille

relatives — la famille élargie

extended family — la famille éloignée

mother — la mère

father — le père

parents — les parents

sister — la sœur

brother — le frère

siblings — les frères et sœurs

daughter — la fille

son — le fils

children — les enfants

grandmother — la grand-mère

grandfather — le grand-père

grandparents — les grands-parents

granddaughter — la petite-fille

grandson — le petit-fils

grandchildren — les petits-enfants

aunt — la tante

uncle — l’oncle

niece — la nièce

nephew — le neveu

cousin (female) — la cousine

cousin (male) — le cousin

cousins — les cousins

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David Doochin

David is a native of Nashville and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied linguistics and history. Before Babbel he worked at Quizlet and Atlas Obscura. A geek for grammar and an editorial enthusiast, he speaks Spanish (and dabbles in German, Dutch, Afrikaans and Italian). When he’s not curating his Instagram meme collection, you can find him spending too much money on food and exploring new cities around the world.

David is a native of Nashville and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied linguistics and history. Before Babbel he worked at Quizlet and Atlas Obscura. A geek for grammar and an editorial enthusiast, he speaks Spanish (and dabbles in German, Dutch, Afrikaans and Italian). When he’s not curating his Instagram meme collection, you can find him spending too much money on food and exploring new cities around the world.