The most common and formal way to say “father” in French is père. But just like in English, where you might say “dad,” “daddy,” or “pops,” French has several other options.

As you learn French, you'll want to talk about your family and understand how others talk about theirs. Knowing the right word to use for your father can depend on the situation, your relationship, and how you want to express yourself.

Let’s look at nine common and not-so-common ways to say “father” in French!

1. The standard 'father' – père

Père is the most standard and common French word for 'father'. It's the direct equivalent of the English word and is universally understood in all contexts.

You can use père in almost any situation, from formal documents (nom du père - father's name) to everyday speech. While perfectly correct, in very casual and affectionate family conversations, the word papa (dad) is often preferred, much like in English.

As a fundamental grammar point, père is a masculine noun. This means it always uses masculine articles and adjectives, such as le père (the father), un bon père (a good father), and mon père (my father).

The word is most frequently combined with possessive adjectives (mon, ton, son, etc.) or the preposition de to show relation. For example, le père de Sophie means 'Sophie's father'.

Beyond family, père can refer to a founder, creator, or a religious figure. You'll see this in phrases like les pères fondateurs (the founding fathers) or its use as a title for a priest. A classic cultural example is le Père Noël (Santa Claus), which literally translates to 'Father Christmas'.

💡 * Mon père est médecin. (My father is a doctor.)

Il va devenir père pour la première fois. (He is going to become a father for the first time.)

Le père de mon ami s'appelle Jean. (My friend's father is named Jean.)

Respecte ton père et ta mère. (Respect your father and your mother.)

The common 'dad' – papa

Just as English has 'father' and 'dad', French has père and papa. Papa is the most common and familiar term used by a person to refer to or address their own father.

Papa is the direct equivalent of 'Dad' or 'Daddy'. It is the word children first learn and continue to use into adulthood when speaking to their father or about him in an affectionate, informal way.

This contrasts with père, the more formal word for 'father'. You would use père on official documents, in formal speech, or when speaking about a father in a more detached sense (e.g., le père de la nation - the father of the nation). Papa is reserved for personal, familial relationships.

You will hear papa used constantly in everyday family life in France. A classic example is the greeting for Father's Day: « Bonne fête, Papa ! » (Happy Father's Day, Dad!).

💡 * Papa, est-ce que tu viens jouer avec nous ? (Dad, are you coming to play with us?)

Mon papa m'a appris à faire du vélo. (My dad taught me how to ride a bike.)

J'ai acheté un cadeau pour mon papa. (I bought a gift for my dad.)

Allô Papa ? Je suis bien arrivé. (Hello Dad? I've arrived safely.)

The slang 'dad' or 'old man' – le daron

If you want to sound like a native French speaker, especially a younger one, you'll need to know some slang, or argot. A classic example is le daron, the informal and very common slang term for 'father'.

Essentially, le daron is the equivalent of calling your father 'the old man' or 'my old man' in English. It's used in casual, everyday conversation and is considered very informal.

Naturally, there's a version for mothers, too. La daronne is the slang term for 'mother,' similar to 'the old lady' in English. It carries the same informal and slightly edgy tone.

Perhaps the most useful form is the plural, les darons. This is a very common way to say 'parents' or 'folks'. For example, instead of saying mes parents, a young person might say mes darons.

Like its English counterparts, the tone of le daron or la daronne can vary. It can be used affectionately, neutrally, or even with a hint of annoyance. The context of the conversation and the speaker's tone of voice will tell you everything you need to know.

💡 * J'ai piqué 10 euros à mon daron. (I nicked 10 euros from my old man.)

Faut que je rentre, sinon mes darons vont s'inquiéter. (I have to go home, otherwise my folks will worry.)

Sa daronne est super cool. (His mom is super cool.)

Le daron de mon pote est mécanicien. (My buddy's dad is a mechanic.)

The affectionate 'daddy' – papounet

The affectionate 'daddy' – papounet

Papounet is an endearing and affectionate term for 'dad,' much like 'daddy' in English. It is a diminutive of papa (dad) and is used to express a high degree of warmth and closeness, often in a sweet or child-like manner.

This term is most frequently used by young children. However, it's not uncommon for adults to use it when speaking to their father in a particularly loving or playful context. It conveys a strong sense of family intimacy.

As a term for father, papounet is a masculine noun. The corresponding affectionate term for a mother is mamounette.

💡 * Mon papounet me lit une histoire tous les soirs. (My daddy reads me a story every night.)

Joyeux anniversaire, papounet d'amour ! (Happy birthday, my dear daddy!)

J'ai vu mon papounet hier, il va très bien. (I saw my daddy yesterday, he's doing very well.)

Allez, papounet, on va jouer dehors ! (Come on, daddy, let's go play outside!)

The formal or biological 'father' – géniteur

The formal or biological 'father' – géniteur

The term géniteur specifically refers to the biological father, or progenitor. It carries a formal, often legal or scientific, tone and lacks the warmth and emotional connection associated with the common word for father, père.

You'll most often encounter géniteur in legal documents (like paternity cases), medical contexts, or discussions about genetics. Using it in everyday conversation to refer to a father would sound very detached and impersonal.

The crucial difference is that while père implies a social and emotional role, géniteur strictly means 'the one who procreated'. A man can be a géniteur without ever being a père to the child.

For learners, it's simple: use père for 'dad' or 'father' in almost all situations. Reserve géniteur for when you specifically need to emphasize the biological-only relationship, much like using 'progenitor' or 'sire' in English.

💡 * Le tribunal recherche le géniteur de l'enfant. (The court is looking for the child's biological father.)

Il est peut-être mon géniteur, mais mon beau-père est mon vrai père. (He may be my biological father, but my stepfather is my real father.)

Un test ADN peut confirmer qui est le géniteur. (A DNA test can confirm who the progenitor is.)

The 'stepfather' or 'father-in-law' – beau-père

In French, the term beau-père can be tricky for English speakers as it translates to both 'stepfather' and 'father-in-law'. The word beau literally means 'handsome', but in family terms, it indicates a relationship established through marriage rather than by blood.

So how do you tell the difference? The context of the conversation is your primary guide. If you are talking about your spouse's family, beau-père means 'father-in-law'. If you are referring to your parent's new husband, it means 'stepfather'.

If you need to avoid ambiguity, you can use more descriptive phrases. For 'stepfather', you might say le mari de ma mère (my mother's husband). For 'father-in-law', you could say le père de mon mari/ma femme (my husband's/wife's father). However, in most daily conversations, beau-père is the standard and most common term.

This naming pattern applies to other step-family and in-laws as well. Your 'stepmother' or 'mother-in-law' is your belle-mère. A 'stepbrother' or 'brother-in-law' is a beau-frère, and a 'stepsister' or 'sister-in-law' is a belle-sœur. The same rule of using context to understand the relationship applies to all these terms.

💡 * Mon beau-père, le père de ma femme, habite en Normandie.

J'entends très bien avec mon beau-père depuis que ma mère s'est remariée.

Nous allons passer les vacances chez mes beaux-parents cet été.

Mon beau-frère est le frère de mon mari, pas le fils de mon beau-père.

The 'godfather' – le parrain

The French word for 'godfather' is le parrain. Primarily, this term refers to the man chosen by parents to sponsor a child at baptism, playing a significant role in the child's life. This is its most common and traditional meaning.

Thanks to famous movies, le parrain also famously means the head of a criminal organization or mafia family. The film The Godfather is known as Le Parrain in French, solidifying this connection in popular culture.

The feminine counterpart is la marraine ('godmother'). In a broader sense, a parrain or marraine can also be a mentor or sponsor in a non-religious context, such as for a new employee at a company or a first-year student at a university.

💡 * Mon oncle est aussi mon parrain. (My uncle is also my godfather.)

Qui sera la marraine de votre fille ? (Who will be your daughter's godmother?)

Le Parrain est un film classique sur la mafia. (The Godfather is a classic film about the mafia.)

Chaque nouvel étudiant a un parrain pour l'aider à s'intégrer. (Each new student has a mentor to help them integrate.)

The 'founding father' – père fondateur

The “founding father” – père fondateur

Literally translating to “founding father,” the term père fondateur refers to a man who was a primary figure in the establishment of a country, a political movement, or a major institution. It carries a strong historical and formal weight.

The plural form is les pères fondateurs. This is most frequently used when discussing the group of individuals responsible for a nation's creation, such as les pères fondateurs des États-Unis (the founding fathers of the United States).

Beyond politics, the term can be used figuratively to describe the originator of a scientific field, an artistic movement, or a discipline. For example, one might refer to the père fondateur of modern psychology.

💡 Jean Monnet est considéré comme l'un des pères fondateurs de l'Union européenne.
Les pères fondateurs ont signé la déclaration d'indépendance.
Il est le père fondateur de cette entreprise multinationale.

The religious 'Father' (for a priest) – Mon Père

When speaking directly to a Catholic priest in French, the standard and respectful title to use is Mon Père. This translates literally to 'My Father' and is the most common form of address used by both parishioners and the general public.

When referring to a priest in the third person (i.e., talking about him), you use the structure le Père followed by his last name. For example, le Père Martin. Note that Père is capitalized when used as a title. The general, non-specific term for 'a priest' is un prêtre.

A more traditional and highly formal term for a priest is Monsieur l'Abbé. While Mon Père is far more common in modern daily usage, Monsieur l'Abbé might still be heard in very traditional settings or used in formal correspondence. An abbé is technically an abbot, but the term is historically used for secular priests as well.

💡 * Bonjour, Mon Père, comment allez-vous ? (Hello, Father, how are you?)

Mon Père, puis-je vous poser une question ? (Father, may I ask you a question?)

Le Père Moreau est le prêtre de notre paroisse. (Father Moreau is the priest of our parish.)

J'ai rendez-vous avec Monsieur l'Abbé cet après-midi. (I have an appointment with the Father this afternoon.)

Are there other ways to say 'father' in French?

Are there other ways to say “father” in French?

Our guide covers the most common and essential ways to say “father” in French, from the formal père to the familiar papa. But the French language is full of nuance, and you'll find other terms, including endearing diminutives, regional variations, and even slang that evolves with each generation.

To discover more localized terms, you can try an online search for “comment dire père en ___” and fill in the blank with a specific Francophone country or region, like Québec or Senegal. You might find some unique local expressions.

When you come across a new synonym for père, it's always wise to check its definition and context. Pay attention to whether it's used affectionately, formally, or humorously before trying it out yourself.

The best way to learn these nuances is through immersion. As you watch French films, read books, or listen to native speakers, notice how different characters refer to their fathers. This will give you a natural feel for the vocabulary.

For a deeper dive into words related to fatherhood and family, the WordReference entry for père is a fantastic starting point. It often includes idiomatic expressions and compound nouns.

I hope this article has enriched your vocabulary. To finish, here's a heartfelt quote from French-Canadian author Denis Lord: Un père n'est pas celui qui donne la vie, ce serait trop facile, un père c'est celui qui donne l'amour. (A father is not the one who gives life, that would be too easy; a father is the one who gives love.)

'9 ways to say "father" in French'