Vocabulary: family, people and life events

The words for family members, other people and big life events. You need them in every paper.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Family

Some words have one form for both: l'enfant unique (only child) can be a boy or a girl.
FrenchEnglish
le pèrefather
la mèremother
le marihusband
la femmewife, woman
le filsson
la filledaughter, girl
le demi-frèrehalf-brother, stepbrother
la demi-sœurhalf-sister, stepsister
l'oncle (m)uncle
la tanteaunt
le cousin, la cousinecousin
le neveunephew
la nièceniece
les grands-parents (m)grandparents
l'enfant uniqueonly child

People

Use les gens for people in general: Les gens sont sympas ici.
FrenchEnglish
l'homme (m)man
le garçonboy
l'enfant (m / f)child
le bébébaby
l'adolescent(e)teenager
l'adulteadult
le voisin, la voisineneighbour
l'ami(e)friend
le petit amiboyfriend
la petite amiegirlfriend
le membremember
le couplecouple
le / la partenairepartner
les gens (m)people

Life events

Être né(e) and mort(e) use être in the past: Je suis né en 2010. Il est mort en 1990.
FrenchEnglish
être né(e)to be born
se marierto get married
le mariagewedding, marriage
marié(e)married
divorcé(e)divorced
célibatairesingle
mourirto die
mort(e)dead
l'âge (m)age
avoir ... ansto be ... years old
s'entendre bien avecto get on well with
se disputer avecto argue with
habiterto live (in a place)
Worked example

Translate: My half-brother is married and he gets on well with his neighbours.

  1. half-brother = le demi-frère, so mon demi-frère
  2. married = marié
  3. gets on well with = s'entend bien avec; neighbours = voisins

Answer: Mon demi-frère est marié et il s'entend bien avec ses voisins.

Key idea

Le mari, la femme, le fils, la fille, le demi-frère, la demi-sœur, l'oncle, la tante, l'enfant unique. Les gens, le voisin, l'adolescent. Être né(e), se marier, divorcé(e), célibataire, s'entendre bien avec.

Quick check

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What does la demi-sœur mean?

    1. half-sister, stepsister
    2. niece
    3. aunt
    4. mother
    Show the answer

    Answer: half-sister, stepsister

    La demi-sœur = half-sister, stepsister.

  2. Which is the French for "son"?

    1. le fils
    2. la fille
    3. le frère
    4. le neveu
    Show the answer

    Answer: le fils

    Son = le fils.

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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