How To Say Family In French

Learning a new language opens doors to understanding new cultures. In French, the word “family” is essential because family plays a central role in everyday life. Knowing how to say “family” in French can help you talk about your loved ones, introduce your family members, and share personal stories.

In this article, you’ll learn how to say “family” in French and explore related phrases. We’ll cover how to say “my family” and “family members” in French, along with ways to respond when talking about your family. Let’s get started!

Ways to Say “Family” in French

In French, “family” is commonly used when talking about personal relationships. Knowing how to say it helps in conversations about loved ones, sharing stories, or introducing people. Here are different ways to express “family” in French, along with examples:

1. Famille (fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: Family; refers to one’s close relatives.
In a Sentence:

Ma famille habite à Paris. (My family lives in Paris.)
Toute la famille est venue pour la fête. (The whole family came for the party.)

2. Ma famille (mah fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: My family.
In a Sentence:

Ma famille et moi allons en vacances. (My family and I are going on vacation.)
J’adore passer du temps avec ma famille. (I love spending time with my family.)

3. Membre de la famille (mohm-bruh duh lah fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: Family member.
In a Sentence:

Chaque membre de la famille a un rôle important. (Every family member has an important role.)
Un membre de ma famille est médecin. (A member of my family is a doctor.)

4. Parents (pah-rah[n])

Meaning: Parents or relatives, depending on context.
In a Sentence:

Mes parents sont très gentils. (My parents are very kind.)
Nous avons rendu visite à nos parents ce week-end. (We visited our relatives this weekend.)

5. La parenté (lah pah-rah[n]-tay)

Meaning: Extended family or relatives.
In a Sentence:

Toute la parenté était présente au mariage. (The whole extended family was at the wedding.)
Ma parenté habite dans le sud de la France. (My extended family lives in southern France.)

6. Les proches (lay prosh)

Meaning: Close family or loved ones.
In a Sentence:

Nous passons Noël avec nos proches. (We spend Christmas with our close family.)
Mes proches sont très importants pour moi. (My loved ones are very important to me.)

7. Foyer (fwah-yay)

Meaning: Household or family unit.
In a Sentence:

Notre foyer est toujours rempli de rires. (Our household is always full of laughter.)
Ils forment un foyer uni. (They form a united family.)

8. Clan (klah[n])

Meaning: A close-knit family group.
In a Sentence:

Mon clan est toujours là pour moi. (My family is always there for me.)
Ils viennent d’un grand clan familial. (They come from a large family clan.)

9. Fratrie (frah-tree)

Meaning: Siblings or brotherhood.
In a Sentence:

J’ai une grande fratrie de cinq enfants. (I have a large sibling group of five children.)
La fratrie s’entend bien. (The siblings get along well.)

10. Tribu (tree-boo)

Meaning: Family group, often used humorously.
In a Sentence:

Toute la tribu est venue camper. (The whole family came camping.)
Ils voyagent toujours avec leur tribu. (They always travel with their family.)

11. Géniteurs (zhay-nee-teur)

Meaning: Biological parents (formal).
In a Sentence:

Ses géniteurs sont originaires de Marseille. (His biological parents are from Marseille.)
Elle ne connaît pas ses géniteurs. (She doesn’t know her biological parents.)

12. Descendance (deh-sahn-dahns)

Meaning: Descendants or offspring.
In a Sentence:

Leur descendance compte plusieurs générations. (Their descendants span several generations.)
La descendance royale est bien connue. (The royal lineage is well known.)

13. Lignée (lee-nyay)

Meaning: Lineage or ancestry.
In a Sentence:

Sa lignée remonte à des rois anciens. (His lineage traces back to ancient kings.)
La lignée familiale est importante pour eux. (The family lineage is important to them.)

14. Cousins (koo-zan)

Meaning: Cousins.
In a Sentence:

Mes cousins viennent pour les vacances. (My cousins are coming for the holidays.)
J’adore jouer avec mes cousins. (I love playing with my cousins.)

15. Aïeux (ah-yeeuh)

Meaning: Ancestors or forebears.
In a Sentence:

Nos aïeux ont vécu dans ce village. (Our ancestors lived in this village.)
Il raconte souvent des histoires sur ses aïeux. (He often tells stories about his ancestors.)

16. Oncles et tantes (ohn-kluh ay tah[n]t)

Meaning: Uncles and aunts.
In a Sentence:

Mes oncles et tantes sont très drôles. (My uncles and aunts are very funny.)
Nous rendons visite à nos oncles et tantes à Noël. (We visit our uncles and aunts at Christmas.)

17. Fils (fees)

Meaning: Son.
In a Sentence:

Mon fils est au collège. (My son is in middle school.)
Elle est fière de son fils. (She is proud of her son.)

18. Fille (fee-yuh)

Meaning: Daughter or girl.
In a Sentence:

Ma fille adore les histoires. (My daughter loves stories.)
Leur fille est très intelligente. (Their daughter is very smart.)

19. Petits-enfants (puh-teez ah[n]-fahn)

Meaning: Grandchildren.
In a Sentence:

Mes petits-enfants me rendent visite souvent. (My grandchildren visit me often.)
Ils passent l’été avec leurs petits-enfants. (They spend the summer with their grandchildren.)

20. Neveux et nièces (nuh-vuh ay nyess)

Meaning: Nephews and nieces.
In a Sentence:

Mes neveux et nièces viennent pour le week-end. (My nephews and nieces are coming for the weekend.)
Ils adorent gâter leurs neveux et nièces. (They love spoiling their nephews and nieces.)

21. Belle-famille (bell-fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: In-laws or step-family.
In a Sentence:

Sa belle-famille est très accueillante. (His in-laws are very welcoming.)
Elle passe Noël avec sa belle-famille. (She spends Christmas with her in-laws.)

22. Beau-père (boh-pehr)

Meaning: Father-in-law or stepfather.
In a Sentence:

Mon beau-père est très gentil. (My stepfather is very kind.)
J’ai beaucoup appris de mon beau-père. (I learned a lot from my father-in-law.)

23. Belle-mère (bell-mehr)

Meaning: Mother-in-law or stepmother.
In a Sentence:

Sa belle-mère cuisine très bien. (His mother-in-law cooks very well.)
Elle s’entend bien avec sa belle-mère. (She gets along well with her stepmother.)

24. Frère (frehr)

Meaning: Brother.
In a Sentence:

Mon frère est plus jeune que moi. (My brother is younger than me.)
Elle joue souvent avec son frère. (She often plays with her brother.)

25. Sœur (suhr)

Meaning: Sister.
In a Sentence:

Ma sœur est très créative. (My sister is very creative.)
Ils ont une sœur jumelle. (They have a twin sister.)

26. Demi-frère (duh-mee-frehr)

Meaning: Half-brother or stepbrother.
In a Sentence:

J’ai un demi-frère du côté de mon père. (I have a half-brother on my father’s side.)
Son demi-frère habite en Italie. (His half-brother lives in Italy.)

27. Demi-sœur (duh-mee-suhr)

Meaning: Half-sister or stepsister.
In a Sentence:

Elle passe les vacances avec sa demi-sœur. (She spends the holidays with her half-sister.)
Mon demi-sœur étudie à l’université. (My half-sister studies at the university.)

28. Belle-sœur (bell-suhr)

Meaning: Sister-in-law.
In a Sentence:

Ma belle-sœur est une excellente cuisinière. (My sister-in-law is an excellent cook.)
Elle a une belle relation avec sa belle-sœur. (She has a great relationship with her sister-in-law.)

29. Grand-parents (grahn-pah-rahn)

Meaning: Grandparents.
In a Sentence:

Mes grands-parents vivent à la campagne. (My grandparents live in the countryside.)
J’adore écouter les histoires de mes grands-parents. (I love listening to my grandparents’ stories.)

30. Arrière-grands-parents (ah-ryehr grahn-pah-rahn)

Meaning: Great-grandparents.
In a Sentence:

Mes arrière-grands-parents sont d’origine italienne. (My great-grandparents are of Italian origin.)
Ils visitent souvent leurs arrière-grands-parents. (They often visit their great-grandparents.)

31. Belle-fille (bell-fee-yuh)

Meaning: Daughter-in-law or stepdaughter.
In a Sentence:

Leur belle-fille est très gentille. (Their daughter-in-law is very kind.)
Elle a une belle relation avec sa belle-fille. (She has a great relationship with her stepdaughter.)

32. Beau-fils (boh-fees)

Meaning: Son-in-law or stepson.
In a Sentence:

Son beau-fils travaille à l’étranger. (His son-in-law works abroad.)
Elle est fière de son beau-fils. (She is proud of her stepson.)

33. Tuteur (tu-teur)

Meaning: Guardian or caretaker.
In a Sentence:

Mon oncle est mon tuteur légal. (My uncle is my legal guardian.)
Ils ont choisi un tuteur pour leurs enfants. (They chose a guardian for their children.)

34. Parrain (pah-ran)

Meaning: Godfather.
In a Sentence:

Mon parrain est venu à mon anniversaire. (My godfather came to my birthday.)
Il est très proche de son parrain. (He is very close to his godfather.)

35. Marraine (mah-ren)

Meaning: Godmother.
In a Sentence:

Sa marraine lui a offert un joli cadeau. (Her godmother gave her a nice gift.)
Ma marraine est très attentionnée. (My godmother is very caring.)

Other Ways to Say “Family” in French

Here’s a table with additional ways to say “family” in French. These expressions provide variety when talking about family relationships, loved ones, or close-knit groups.

Other Ways to Say	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentences
Famille proche	fah-mee-yuh prosh	Immediate family	J’ai passé le week-end avec ma famille proche. (I spent the weekend with my immediate family.)
Entourage	ah[n]-too-rahzh	Close circle or family-like group	Mon entourage me soutient toujours. (My close circle always supports me.)
Parentèle	pah-rah[n]-tell	Extended family (formal)	La parentèle s’est réunie pour l’anniversaire. (The extended family gathered for the birthday.)
Cousinage	koo-zee-nahzh	Cousins or family ties	Le cousinage se réunit chaque été. (The cousins gather every summer.)
Frères et sœurs	frehr ay suhr	Brothers and sisters (siblings)	Mes frères et sœurs sont très proches. (My siblings are very close.)
Liens familiaux	lyah[n] fah-mee-lyoh	Family ties or connections	Ils ont des liens familiaux solides. (They have strong family ties.)
Maison familiale	meh-zoh[n] fah-mee-lyahl	Family home	Nous avons rénové notre maison familiale. (We renovated our family home.)
Foyer parental	fwah-yay pah-rah[n]-tahl	Parents’ household	Il a quitté le foyer parental à 18 ans. (He left his parents’ house at 18.)
Arrière-petits-enfants	ah-ryehr puh-teez ah[n]-fah[n]	Great-grandchildren	Ils sont fiers de leurs arrière-petits-enfants. (They are proud of their great-grandchildren.)
Famille adoptive	fah-mee-yuh ah-dohp-teev	Adoptive family	Elle a grandi dans une famille adoptive. (She grew up in an adoptive family.)

Responses to “Family” in French

When talking about family in French, you may hear various responses. These phrases help continue the conversation, express feelings, or share family-related experiences. Here are common responses:

1. C’est une grande famille. (say t’ewn grahnd fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: It’s a big family.
In a Sentence:

Oui, c’est une grande famille avec beaucoup de cousins. (Yes, it’s a big family with many cousins.)

2. J’ai une petite famille. (zhey ewn puh-teet fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: I have a small family.
In a Sentence:

Nous sommes seulement trois, j’ai une petite famille. (There are only three of us; I have a small family.)

3. Ma famille est très unie. (mah fah-mee-yuh eh trayz ew-nee)

Meaning: My family is very close.
In a Sentence:

Malgré la distance, ma famille est très unie. (Despite the distance, my family is very close.)

4. Nous sommes une famille soudée. (noo sohmz ewn fah-mee-yuh soo-day)

Meaning: We are a tight-knit family.
In a Sentence:

Même dans les moments difficiles, nous sommes une famille soudée. (Even during tough times, we are a tight-knit family.)

5. J’adore passer du temps avec eux. (zhah-door pah-say dew tahn ah-vek uh)

Meaning: I love spending time with them.
In a Sentence:

Pendant les vacances, j’adore passer du temps avec eux. (During the holidays, I love spending time with them.)

6. Ils sont très importants pour moi. (eel sohn tray ah[n]-por-tah[n] poohr mwah)

Meaning: They are very important to me.
In a Sentence:

Mes parents et mes frères sont très importants pour moi. (My parents and siblings are very important to me.)

7. Ma famille me manque. (mah fah-mee-yuh muh mah[n]k)

Meaning: I miss my family.
In a Sentence:

Quand je suis à l’étranger, ma famille me manque beaucoup. (When I’m abroad, I miss my family a lot.)

8. Je suis fier/fière de ma famille. (juh swee fee-ehr/fee-ehr duh mah fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: I’m proud of my family.
In a Sentence:

Je suis fière de ma famille et de ce qu’elle a accompli. (I’m proud of my family and what they’ve accomplished.)

9. Nous nous voyons souvent. (noo noo vwah-yohn soo-vah[n])

Meaning: We see each other often.
In a Sentence:

Même après le travail, nous nous voyons souvent. (Even after work, we see each other often.)

10. La famille, c’est tout. (lah fah-mee-yuh, say too)

Meaning: Family is everything.
In a Sentence:

Pour moi, la famille, c’est tout. (For me, family is everything.)

11. Nous sommes très proches. (noo sohm tray prosh)

Meaning: We are very close.
In a Sentence:

Mes cousins et moi, nous sommes très proches. (My cousins and I are very close.)

12. Ils habitent loin. (eelz ah-beet lwan)

Meaning: They live far away.
In a Sentence:

Malheureusement, mes grands-parents habitent loin. (Unfortunately, my grandparents live far away.)

13. J’aime bien ma famille. (zhem byan mah fah-mee-yuh)

Meaning: I like my family.
In a Sentence:

Même si nous sommes différents, j’aime bien ma famille. (Even if we are different, I like my family.)

14. Nous nous réunissons souvent. (noo noo ray-oo-nee-sohn soo-vah[n])

Meaning: We gather often.
In a Sentence:

Pendant les fêtes, nous nous réunissons souvent. (During the holidays, we gather often.)

15. Ils sont toujours là pour moi. (eel sohn too-zhoor lah poor mwah)

Meaning: They are always there for me.
In a Sentence:

Peu importe la situation, ils sont toujours là pour moi. (No matter the situation, they are always there for me.)

16. J’ai une famille merveilleuse. (zhey ewn fah-mee-yuh mehr-vay-yuhz)

Meaning: I have a wonderful family.
In a Sentence:

J’ai une famille merveilleuse qui me soutient beaucoup. (I have a wonderful family that supports me a lot.)

17. Nous passons beaucoup de temps ensemble. (noo pah-sohn boo-koo duh tahn ahn-sahm-bluh)

Meaning: We spend a lot of time together.
In a Sentence:

Le week-end, nous passons beaucoup de temps ensemble. (On weekends, we spend a lot of time together.)

18. Je suis proche de mes cousins. (juh swee prosh duh meh koo-zahn)

Meaning: I am close to my cousins.
In a Sentence:

Je suis très proche de mes cousins du côté de ma mère. (I am very close to my cousins on my mother’s side.)

19. On se voit rarement. (ohn suh vwah rahr-mah[n])

Meaning: We rarely see each other.
In a Sentence:

Avec nos emplois du temps chargés, on se voit rarement. (With our busy schedules, we rarely see each other.)

20. La famille est précieuse. (lah fah-mee-yuh eh preh-syuhz)

Meaning: Family is precious.
In a Sentence:

Pour moi, la famille est précieuse et irremplaçable. (For me, family is precious and irreplaceable.)

Exercise to Practice “Family” in French

Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using different ways to say “family” in French. Each sentence is in French with its meaning in English.

Fill-in-the-Blanks

Je passe mes vacances avec ma ___________. (I spend my vacation with my __________.)
Mon __________ vit à Paris avec sa femme. (My __________ lives in Paris with his wife.)
Mes __________ sont toujours là pour moi. (My __________ are always there for me.)
Mon __________ est très proche de moi. (My __________ is very close to me.)
Nous aimons visiter nos __________ le week-end. (We love visiting our __________ on weekends.)
Sa __________ est très gentille et attentionnée. (Her __________ is very kind and caring.)
J’ai deux __________ qui viennent dîner ce soir. (I have two __________ coming to dinner tonight.)
Leur __________ est grande et soudée. (Their __________ is large and close-knit.)
Mes __________ sont venus pour mon anniversaire. (My __________ came for my birthday.)
Nous avons une __________ qui vit à l’étranger. (We have a __________ living abroad.)
Mon __________ est le plus âgé de la famille. (My __________ is the oldest in the family.)
Elle est fière de sa __________ qui a accompli de grandes choses. (She is proud of her __________ who achieved great things.)

Answers

famille (family)
frère (brother)
parents (parents)
cousin (cousin)
grands-parents (grandparents)
belle-mère (mother-in-law)
oncles (uncles)
tribu (tribe/family group)
cousins (cousins)
tante (aunt)
grand-père (grandfather)
sœur (sister)

Conclusion

Learning how to say “family” in French is essential for meaningful conversations about loved ones. Whether you’re talking about your immediate family, extended relatives, or close friends, these words help express your relationships clearly and warmly.

By practicing these terms and responses, you’ll feel more confident discussing family topics in French. Keep using the exercises and examples provided to improve your vocabulary. With consistent practice, talking about your family in French will become second nature. Bon courage! (Good luck!)