Describing family vocabulary in French, including words for relatives, telling ages, and talking about family members’ roles.

This article covers essential French vocabulary for describing family members, including how to name relatives, ask or state ages, and talk about family roles and occupations. Plus, it includes example sentences to see the words in context.

Family Member Titles

Here are the most common French words for family members, including singular and plural forms, as well as masculine and feminine where applicable. These cover immediate family and some close relatives.

French Family Member	English Family Member	French Example	English Example
le père / les pères	father / fathers	Mon père est médecin.	My father is a doctor.
la mère / les mères	mother / mothers	Ma mère aime cuisiner.	My mother loves to cook.
le fils / les fils	son / sons	J’ai un fils de dix ans.	I have a ten-year-old son.
la fille / les filles	daughter / daughters	Sa fille est étudiante.	His daughter is a student.
le frère / les frères	brother / brothers	Mon frère joue au foot.	My brother plays soccer.
la sœur / les sœurs	sister / sisters	Ma sœur habite à Paris.	My sister lives in Paris.
les grands-parents	grandparents	Mes grands-parents sont gentils.	My grandparents are kind.
le grand-père / les grands-pères	grandfather / grandfathers	Mon grand-père aime les histoires.	My grandfather loves stories.
la grand-mère / les grands-mères	grandmother / grandmothers	Ma grand-mère fait des gâteaux.	My grandmother bakes cakes.
l’oncle / les oncles	uncle / uncles	Mon oncle est écrivain.	My uncle is a writer.
la tante / les tantes	aunt / aunts	Ma tante voyage beaucoup.	My aunt travels a lot.
le cousin / les cousins	cousin (m.) / cousins	Mon cousin est très sportif.	My cousin is very athletic.
la cousine / les cousines	cousin (f.) / cousins	Ma cousine joue du piano.	My cousin plays the piano.

Mes ___ sont gentils.

Choose the correct French word for 'grandparents'.

les cousins

les grands-parents

les oncles

les parents

les grands-parents

'Les grands-parents' means 'grandparents'. 'Les cousins' are cousins, 'les oncles' are uncles, and 'les parents' means 'parents'.

___ habite à Paris.

Choose the correct French word for 'sister'.

le frère

la sœur

la cousine

la tante

la sœur

'La sœur' means 'sister' in French. 'Le frère' is 'brother', 'la cousine' is 'female cousin', and 'la tante' is 'aunt'.

Talking About Age

When describing family, it’s common to mention how old someone is. Here are some useful phrases and examples for talking about age in French.

French Age Phrase	English Translation	French Example	English Example
avoir ... ans	to be ... years old	J’ai quinze ans.	I am fifteen years old.
il/elle a ... ans	he/she is ... years old	Elle a vingt ans.	She is twenty years old.
âgé(e) de ... ans	aged ... years	Un garçon âgé de dix ans	A boy aged ten years
le plus âgé / la plus âgée	the oldest	Mon frère est le plus âgé.	My brother is the oldest.
le cadet / la cadette	the youngest	Je suis la cadette de la famille.	I am the youngest daughter in the family.

Describing Roles and Occupations

In many families, members have specific roles or jobs. Here are some common words for occupations and roles you might use when describing your family.

French Role/Occupation	English Role/Occupation	French Example	English Example
médecin / médecin	doctor	Mon père est médecin.	My father is a doctor.
professeur / professeure	teacher	Ma mère est professeure.	My mother is a teacher.
étudiant / étudiante	student	Je suis étudiante à l’université.	I am a university student.
ingénieur / ingénieure	engineer	Son oncle est ingénieur.	His uncle is an engineer.
travailleur / travailleuse	worker	Ma tante est travailleuse sociale.	My aunt is a social worker.
au foyer	homemaker	Ma mère est au foyer.	My mother is a homemaker.
retraité / retraitée	retired	Mes grands-parents sont retraités.	My grandparents are retired.
chef de famille	head of the family	Mon père est le chef de famille.	My father is the head of the family.
responsable	responsible	Ma sœur est responsable à la maison.	My sister is responsible at home.

Describing Relationships

Finally, here are some useful adjectives and phrases for describing personality, relationships, and family dynamics in French.

French Adjective/Phrase	English Translation	French Example	English Example
proche de ...	close to ...	Je suis très proche de ma mère.	I am very close to my mother.
gentil / gentille	kind	Mon grand-père est très gentil.	My grandfather is very kind.
strict / stricte	strict	Mon père est strict mais juste.	My father is strict but fair.
aimant / aimante	loving	Ma mère est aimante.	My mother is loving.
soutien	supportive	Ma sœur est mon plus grand soutien.	My sister is my biggest support.
rigolo / rigolote	funny	Mon frère est rigolo.	My brother is funny.
patient / patiente	patient	Ma grand-mère est patiente.	My grandmother is patient.
responsable	responsible	Je suis responsable dans ma famille.	I am responsible in my family.
indépendant / indépendante	independent	Je suis indépendant(e) depuis l’adolescence.	I have been independent since adolescence.

With these vocabulary words and example sentences, you’ll be well-equipped to describe your family in French with confidence and detail.

Flashcards (1 of 36)

English Family Member: father / fathers
English Example: My father is a doctor.

Next Up: Relationships

Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025

French