Learning a new language is always exciting, and French is no exception. One of the first things you may want to know is how to say simple yet important words, like “daughter.” Knowing how to use this word correctly can help you talk about your family, describe relationships, or even share stories.
French has its own unique way of expressing words related to family. In this article, you’ll learn how to say “daughter” in French, discover other similar expressions, practice them with real-life examples, and even understand how to respond when someone talks about their “daughter.” By the end, you’ll feel confident using this word in everyday conversations.
Ways to Say “Daughter” in French
In French, “daughter” is expressed using specific words that can vary based on formality, context, or emotion. Understanding these different ways will help you communicate effectively and show your knowledge of the language. Below, we’ll explore some common ways to say “daughter” in French, with pronunciations and examples to guide your learning.
1. Fille
Pronunciation: fee-yuh
Meaning: Daughter (generic term).
In a Sentence:
- C’est ma fille. (This is my daughter.)
- Ma fille adore jouer au parc. (My daughter loves playing at the park.)
2. Ma fille
Pronunciation: mah fee-yuh
Meaning: My daughter.
In a Sentence:
- Ma fille est à l’école. (My daughter is at school.)
- J’ai acheté un cadeau pour ma fille. (I bought a gift for my daughter.)
3. Fiston (colloquial)
Pronunciation: fee-stohn
Meaning: Son (can refer to daughter affectionately in informal settings).
In a Sentence:
- Alors, ma petite fiston, qu’as-tu appris aujourd’hui ? (So, my little darling, what did you learn today?)
- Hé, fiston, viens ici! (Hey, sweetheart, come here!)
4. Chérie
Pronunciation: shay-ree
Meaning: Darling (used affectionately for a daughter).
In a Sentence:
- Ma chérie, veux-tu une glace? (My darling, do you want some ice cream?)
- Bon travail, ma chérie! (Good job, my darling!)
5. Petite
Pronunciation: puh-teet
Meaning: Little one (can be used for a daughter).
In a Sentence:
- Viens ici, ma petite! (Come here, my little one!)
- Tu es ma petite préférée! (You’re my favorite little one!)
6. Héritière
Pronunciation: ay-ree-tyehr
Meaning: Heiress (used poetically or in formal contexts).
In a Sentence:
- Elle est l’héritière de notre famille. (She is the heiress of our family.)
- Mon héritière est brillante et talentueuse. (My heiress is brilliant and talented.)
7. Demoiselle
Pronunciation: duh-mwah-zell
Meaning: Young lady (can refer to a daughter respectfully).
In a Sentence:
- Où est ma demoiselle aujourd’hui? (Where is my young lady today?)
- Demoiselle, c’est l’heure de dîner. (Young lady, it’s time for dinner.)
8. La cadette
Pronunciation: lah kah-det
Meaning: The younger daughter.
In a Sentence:
- La cadette de la famille est très curieuse. (The youngest daughter in the family is very curious.)
- Ma cadette adore les dessins animés. (My younger daughter loves cartoons.)
9. Ma grande
Pronunciation: mah grahnd
Meaning: My big girl (used affectionately for an older daughter).
In a Sentence:
- Ma grande a beaucoup grandi cette année. (My big girl has grown a lot this year.)
- Merci, ma grande, pour ton aide. (Thank you, my big girl, for your help.)
10. La princesse
Pronunciation: lah pran-sess
Meaning: The princess (used lovingly).
In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, ma petite princesse! (Good morning, my little princess!)
- La princesse veut jouer avec ses poupées. (The princess wants to play with her dolls.)
11. Mon trésor
Pronunciation: mohn tray-zor
Meaning: My treasure (a term of endearment).
In a Sentence:
- Mon trésor, raconte-moi ta journée. (My treasure, tell me about your day.)
- Je t’aime, mon trésor. (I love you, my treasure.)
12. Ma poupée
Pronunciation: mah poo-pay
Meaning: My doll (used affectionately).
In a Sentence:
- Ma poupée, tu es si jolie aujourd’hui. (My doll, you look so pretty today.)
- Viens ici, ma poupée. (Come here, my doll.)
13. Ma joyeuse
Pronunciation: mah zhwah-yuhz
Meaning: My joyful one (expressing happiness).
In a Sentence:
- Ma joyeuse illumine ma vie. (My joyful one brightens my life.)
- Reste toujours heureuse, ma joyeuse. (Stay happy always, my joyful one.)
14. La reine
Pronunciation: lah ren
Meaning: The queen (used affectionately).
In a Sentence:
- La reine de ma maison est toujours joyeuse. (The queen of my house is always happy.)
- Voici la reine de mon cœur. (Here is the queen of my heart.)
15. Ma douce
Pronunciation: mah doos
Meaning: My sweet one.
In a Sentence:
- Ma douce, viens t’asseoir avec moi. (My sweet one, come sit with me.)
- J’adore passer du temps avec ma douce. (I love spending time with my sweet one.)
16. Ma lumière
Pronunciation: mah loo-myehr
Meaning: My light.
In a Sentence:
- Ma lumière m’apporte de la joie tous les jours. (My light brings me joy every day.)
- Bonne nuit, ma lumière. (Good night, my light.)
17. Petite étoile
Pronunciation: puh-teet ay-twahl
Meaning: Little star.
In a Sentence:
- Ma petite étoile, brille toujours! (My little star, always shine!)
- J’aime ma petite étoile plus que tout. (I love my little star more than anything.)
18. Ma fée
Pronunciation: mah fay
Meaning: My fairy.
In a Sentence:
- Ma fée magique est pleine de joie. (My magical fairy is full of joy.)
- Bonne nuit, ma fée. (Good night, my fairy.)
19. Ma perle
Pronunciation: mah pehrl
Meaning: My pearl.
In a Sentence:
- Ma perle, tu es unique. (My pearl, you are special.)
- Merci pour tout, ma perle. (Thank you for everything, my pearl.)
20. Mon ange
Pronunciation: mohn ahnzh
Meaning: My angel.
In a Sentence:
- Mon ange, sois toujours gentille. (My angel, always be kind.)
- Bonne nuit, mon ange. (Good night, my angel.)
21. La petite
Pronunciation: lah puh-teet
Meaning: The little one.
In a Sentence:
- La petite aime les contes de fées. (The little one loves fairy tales.)
- Voici la petite de la famille. (Here is the little one in the family.)
22. Ma précieuse
Pronunciation: mah pray-syuhz
Meaning: My precious.
In a Sentence:
- Ma précieuse, je suis fier de toi. (My precious, I am proud of you.)
- Je te protège toujours, ma précieuse. (I always protect you, my precious.)
23. Mon bijou
Pronunciation: mohn bee-zhoo
Meaning: My jewel.
In a Sentence:
- Mon bijou est talentueuse et gentille. (My jewel is talented and kind.)
- Je t’aime, mon bijou. (I love you, my jewel.)
24. Ma sirène
Pronunciation: mah see-ren
Meaning: My mermaid.
In a Sentence:
- Ma sirène adore nager. (My mermaid loves swimming.)
- Bonjour, ma sirène! (Good morning, my mermaid!)
25. Ma belle
Pronunciation: mah bel
Meaning: My beauty.
In a Sentence:
- Ma belle est intelligente et courageuse. (My beauty is intelligent and brave.)
- Bonne journée, ma belle! (Have a good day, my beauty!)
Other Ways to Say “Daughter” in French
Here’s a helpful table showing different ways to say “daughter” in French, along with their pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences:
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Ma petite fille | mah puh-teet fee-yuh | My little girl | Ma petite fille adore jouer dans le parc. (My little girl loves playing in the park.) |
| Chérie | shay-ree | Darling (informal, affectionate) | Chérie, tu es toujours ma petite fille. (Darling, you are always my little girl.) |
| Fillette | fee-yet | Little girl (diminutive, affectionate) | La fillette lit son livre préféré. (The little girl is reading her favorite book.) |
| Enfant | ahn-fah(n) | Child | Mon enfant a reçu une médaille aujourd’hui. (My child received a medal today.) |
| Fille unique | fee-yuh oo-neek | Only daughter | Ma fille unique est très douée en mathématiques. (My only daughter is very good at math.) |
| Demoiselle | deuh-mwah-zel | Young lady (formal or playful) | La demoiselle a beaucoup grandi depuis la dernière fois. (The young lady has grown a lot since last time.) |
| Ma grande fille | mah grahnd fee-yuh | My big girl (affectionate) | Ma grande fille est maintenant au lycée. (My big girl is now in high school.) |
| Héritière | air-ee-tyair | Heiress | L’héritière de la famille est ma fille aînée. (The heiress of the family is my eldest daughter.) |
| Mignonne | meen-yuhn | Sweetheart (affectionate) | Ma mignonne, il est l’heure d’aller dormir. (My sweetheart, it’s time to go to sleep.) |
| Princesse | pran-sess | Princess (endearing term) | Bonne nuit, ma princesse. (Good night, my princess.) |
Response to “Daughter” in French
When someone talks about their daughter in French, there are various ways you can respond depending on the context. Here are some common responses:
C’est merveilleux !
Pronunciation: say mehr-veh-yee-uh
Meaning: That’s wonderful!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a réussi à son examen. (My daughter passed her exam.)
- Person 2: C’est merveilleux ! (That’s wonderful!)
Elle doit être fière d’elle.
Pronunciation: el dwah ehtr fyehr dehl
Meaning: She must be proud of herself.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a remporté un prix à l’école. (My daughter won an award at school.)
- Person 2: Elle doit être fière d’elle ! (She must be proud of herself!)
Quelle chance d’avoir une fille !
Pronunciation: kel shahns dah-vwar oon fee-uh
Meaning: How lucky to have a daughter!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai une fille de trois ans. (I have a three-year-old daughter.)
- Person 2: Quelle chance d’avoir une fille ! (How lucky to have a daughter!)
Ça doit être une fille adorable.
Pronunciation: sah dwah ehtr oon fee-uh ah-doh-rah-bluh
Meaning: She must be an adorable girl.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille aime toujours faire du dessin. (My daughter always loves drawing.)
- Person 2: Ça doit être une fille adorable ! (She must be an adorable girl!)
Félicitations à elle !
Pronunciation: fay-lee-see-ta-syon ah el
Meaning: Congratulations to her!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a gagné un concours de danse. (My daughter won a dance competition.)
- Person 2: Félicitations à elle ! (Congratulations to her!)
Elle a de la chance d’avoir une maman comme toi.
Pronunciation: el ah duh lah shahns dah-vwar oon ma-mahn kom twa
Meaning: She’s lucky to have a mom like you.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’aide ma fille avec ses devoirs tous les soirs. (I help my daughter with her homework every evening.)
- Person 2: Elle a de la chance d’avoir une maman comme toi ! (She’s lucky to have a mom like you!)
Elle doit être une vraie source de joie.
Pronunciation: el dwah ehtr oon vrah soors duh jwah
Meaning: She must be a real source of joy.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a toujours le sourire. (My daughter always has a smile on her face.)
- Person 2: Elle doit être une vraie source de joie. (She must be a real source of joy.)
Elle grandit si vite !
Pronunciation: el grahn-dee see veet
Meaning: She’s growing so fast!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a déjà six ans. (My daughter is already six years old.)
- Person 2: Elle grandit si vite ! (She’s growing so fast!)
Elle ressemble beaucoup à toi !
Pronunciation: el ruh-sohm-bluh boh-kooh ah twah
Meaning: She looks a lot like you!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a les yeux bleus comme moi. (My daughter has blue eyes like mine.)
- Person 2: Elle ressemble beaucoup à toi ! (She looks a lot like you!)
Tu dois être une maman formidable !
Pronunciation: too dwah ehtr oon ma-mahn for-mee-dah-bluh
Meaning: You must be a wonderful mom!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je passe beaucoup de temps à m’occuper de ma fille. (I spend a lot of time taking care of my daughter.)
- Person 2: Tu dois être une maman formidable ! (You must be a wonderful mom!)
Elle a l’air pleine de vie !
Pronunciation: el ah lehr plehn duh vee
Meaning: She seems full of life!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille est toujours en train de courir et de jouer. (My daughter is always running and playing.)
- Person 2: Elle a l’air pleine de vie ! (She seems full of life!)
Tu dois être tellement fière d’elle.
Pronunciation: too dwah ehtr tehl-mahn fyehr dehl
Meaning: You must be so proud of her.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille a remporté le prix du meilleur dessin. (My daughter won the prize for the best drawing.)
- Person 2: Tu dois être tellement fière d’elle. (You must be so proud of her.)
Elle est vraiment un rayon de soleil.
Pronunciation: el eh vray-mohn uh ray-ohn duh soh-lay
Meaning: She’s really a ray of sunshine.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ma fille illumine toujours la pièce avec son sourire. (My daughter always lights up the room with her smile.)
- Person 2: Elle est vraiment un rayon de soleil. (She’s really a ray of sunshine.)
Exercise to Practice Success “Daughter” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using different ways to say “daughter” in French. After the exercises, you’ll find the answers along with the meanings of the sentences to help you understand better.
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences:
- Ma __________ adore jouer à la poupée. (My __________ loves playing with dolls.)
- , tu es ma fierté. (, you are my pride.)
- Ma __________ a reçu un prix à l’école. (My __________ received an award at school.)
- , tu es ma petite princesse. (, you are my little princess.)
- __________ est très gentille avec ses amis. (__________ is very kind to her friends.)
- J’ai vu __________ jouer au football ce matin. (I saw __________ playing soccer this morning.)
- Ma __________ aime dessiner des animaux. (My __________ loves drawing animals.)
- , tu es un rayon de soleil dans ma vie. (, you are a ray of sunshine in my life.)
- Ma __________ va à l’école primaire. (My __________ goes to elementary school.)
- , tu as tellement grandi ! (, you’ve grown so much!)
- __________ fait toujours ses devoirs toute seule. (__________ always does her homework by herself.)
- __________ a un grand sourire. (__________ has a big smile.)
Answers:
- fille
Meaning: My daughter loves playing with dolls. - Chérie
Meaning: Darling, you are my pride. - fille
Meaning: My daughter received an award at school. - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter, you are my little princess. - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter is very kind to her friends. - ma fille
Meaning: I saw my daughter playing soccer this morning. - fille
Meaning: My daughter loves drawing animals. - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter, you are a ray of sunshine in my life. - fille
Meaning: My daughter goes to elementary school. - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter, you’ve grown so much! - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter always does her homework by herself. - Ma fille
Meaning: My daughter has a big smile.
Conclusion
Learning how to say “daughter” in French opens the door to discussing family in a more meaningful way. Whether you use terms like ma fille, petite fille, or chérie, each phrase carries its own unique tone, helping you express affection, pride, or simply describe your relationship.
By practicing different ways to say “daughter” and how to respond to these words, you can feel more confident in your French conversations. Whether you’re talking about your own daughter or commenting on someone else’s, mastering these phrases will help you sound more natural and engaged in any setting. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll feel just as comfortable using these expressions in French as you do in English!