Family - French

Family Members 👪

In French, family members have specific names. Learning these will help you talk about your family or ask about someone else's.

• Le père (the father) and la mère (the mother) are the heads of many families.
• Le frère (the brother) and la sœur (the sister) are siblings.
• Children in a family are le fils (the son) and la fille (the daughter).
• Grandparents are le grand-père (the grandfather) and la grand-mère (the grandmother).
• An uncle is l'oncle, while an aunt is la tante.
• Cousins are either le cousin (male cousin) or la cousine (female cousin).

Examples:

• Mon père aime la pêche.
• Ma sœur est en vacances.
• J'ai deux cousines et un cousin.
• Ma grand-mère habite avec moi.
• L'oncle de Marie est médecin.

Describing Family Relationships 💑

Family relationships can cover a range of situations from marriage to separation.

Marriage and Relationship Terms:

• Le mariage refers to the union of two people. The verb form épouser means to marry, while se marier translates to getting married.
• Relationships (la relation) describe the connection between family members.
• In narratives about how couples met or started, you might use se rencontrer for meeting each other.

Changes in Family Structure:

• Le divorce signifies the legal end of a marriage, with divorcer as the verb.
• If couples se séparer, they are separating without necessarily involving legalities.

Examples:

• Mes parents se sont mariés il y a vingt ans.
• Ils ont décidé de divorcer après une longue discussion.
• Ma tante a rencontré son mari à l'université.
• Ils ont une belle relation basée sur la confiance.
• Après quelques années, ils ont choisi de se séparer.

Understanding these terms will allow you to discuss your personal experiences or understand those of others with clarity.