Family in French
In today’s free lesson you’ll learn how to talk about your family in French (the French word for family is famille). Practice your French pronunciation as you listen to the audio, and while you’re at it – take a closer look at the different ways to say 'my' in French.
Speaking about people in French will also help you understand how the French masculine and feminine principles work. By the end of this lesson you’ll also know how to talk about more than one person.
Resources for further reading:
Talking about Family in French
Let’s look at immediate family members:
Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record
Rocket Record lets you perfect your French pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!
Mes parents
My parents or My relatives
Ma sœur habite en France
My sister lives in France
Mon frère est grand
My brother is tall
Ma femme
My wife
Mon mari
My husband
Mon copain
My boyfriend
Ma copine
My girlfriend
Mes cousins
My cousins
My in French
Notice that in English we always use “my”, whatever person or group of people we are talking about. In French, “my” takes on three different forms depending on the person or thing in question!
- “Ma” refers to a woman or a feminine item,
- “Mon” is used for a man or masculine item (or a feminine item starting with a vowel), and
- “Mes” is used when we talk about more than one person or item!
Take a good look at the above list and begin to make the connections about gender rules and you will be half-way to understanding how French people think and speak!
That's the end of this free French lesson! Why not check out the lesson describe people in French? Or even how to sing Happy Birthday in French? Always great for a surprise birthday celebration!
À bientôt!
Marie-Claire Rivière and the Rocket French Team
Make It Stick With Rocket Reinforcement
Reinforce your learning from this lesson with the Rocket Reinforcement activities! These activities are scientifically designed to improve your knowledge and retention of French.