French Vocabulary

12 practice makes perfect French Vocabulary

Les mamans françaises ont droit à un French moms are entitled to a

congé de maternité. paid maternity leave.

Leur fi ls est à l’armée. Th eir son is in the army.

Il y a deux enfants dans cette famille. Th ere are two children in this family.

Son oncle paternel lui ressemble. His paternal uncle looks like him.

Mes cousins sont du même âge que moi. My cousins are the same age as me.

Nous avons une grande réunion We have a big family reunion.

de famille.

Th e adjective beau (m.) or belle (f.) in front of the nouns fi lle, fi ls, frère, sœur, père, or mère

helps express step or in-law.

le beau-fi ls son-in-law, stepson

la belle-fi lle daughter-in-law, stepdaughter

le beau-frère brother-in-law, stepbrother

la belle-sœur sister-in-law, stepsister

le beau-père father-in-law, stepfather

la belle-mère mother-in-law, stepmother

Compound phrases such as la belle-fi lle and le beau-fi ls have a double meaning. Th ey are

used to express daughter-in-law and son-in-law. In the following sentences, note that la bru also

means daughter-in-law. Similarly le gendre means son-in-law as well.

Ma belle-fi lle est la femme de mon fi ls. My daughter-in-law is my son’s wife.

Ma bru est la femme de mon fi ls. My daughter-in-law is my son’s wife.

Ma belle-fi lle est la fi lle de mon My stepdaughter is my second husband’s

second mari. daughter.

Th e adjective grand or grands placed before the nouns mère, père, or parents serves to ex-

press grandmother, grandfather, and grandparents.

Ma grand-mère est gentille. My grandmother is nice.

Mon grand-père est drôle. My grandfather is funny.

Mes grands-parents m’adorent. My grandparents adore me.

Th e adjective petite, petit, or petits placed before the nouns fi lle, fi ls, and enfants serves to

express granddaughter, grandson, and grandchildren.

Ma petite-fi lle s’appelle Dara. My granddaughter’s name is Dara.

Mon petit-fi ls s’appelle Alex. My grandson’s name is Alex.

Mes petits-enfants sont mignons. My grandchildren are cute.

Th e adverb arrière placed before grand-mère, grand-père, grands-parents, petite-fi lle,

petit-fi ls, and petits-enfants serves to express great-.

J’ai des photos de mes arrière-grands- I have pictures of my great-grandparents.

parents.

Mon arrière-grand-mère était pianiste. My great-grandmother was a pianist.

Mon arrière-grand-père est né en 1890. My great-grandfather was born in 1890.

Les amis (Friends)

Friends play a very important role in people’s lives. Th e French are discreet about love relation-

ships and oft en use the word ami(e) both for a friend and for a lover. Th e phrase petit(e) ami(e) is

sometimes used among teenagers for boyfriend or girlfriend. Th e words copain, copine, and es-