The word parent is the most direct and common way to refer to a parent in French. But just like in English, there are several other terms, from the formal to the very familiar.

As you dive deeper into French, you'll encounter these different words in conversations, books, and movies. Knowing them will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you understand the nuances of family relationships in French culture.

Let's explore nine different ways to say 'parent' in French, so you'll always have the right word for the right situation!

The standard 'parents' – les parents

The most straightforward and common way to say 'parents' in French is les parents. It's the direct equivalent of the English word and is universally understood.

This term is almost always used in its plural form, les parents, to refer to a mother and father collectively. The singular form, un parent, means 'a parent' or, more broadly, 'a relative'. The plural is always masculine (les parents) even when referring to a group of mothers, unless the context is extremely specific.

Les parents can be used in any situation, from formal administrative documents to casual conversations with friends. It's the go-to term you'll hear and use most often.

While the singular un parent can mean 'a relative', les parents specifically means 'the parents' (mother and father). To talk about your extended family or 'relatives' in a general sense, it's better to use terms like la famille (the family) or les proches (close relations).

When talking about someone's parents, you'll pair the word with a possessive adjective. For example: mes parents (my parents), tes parents (your parents), and ses parents (his/her parents).

💡 * Je vis encore chez mes parents. (I still live at my parents' house.)

• Ses parents sont venus lui rendre visite pour le week-end. (His/Her parents came to visit him/her for the weekend.)
• Les parents de Sophie sont tous les deux médecins. (Sophie's parents are both doctors.)
• Comment vont tes parents ? (How are your parents?)

The formal 'mother' and 'father' – la mère et le père

The most standard and universally understood French words for ‘mother’ and ‘father’ are la mère and le père, respectively. These are the foundational terms for parents in French.

As the direct translations for 'the mother' and 'the father', these terms are considered neutral and can be used in any context, from formal documents to everyday speech. While they are the default, they can sometimes sound more formal than their affectionate counterparts.

You will most often hear la mère and le père used when someone is talking about their parents to another person, rather than speaking to them directly. For example, you might say, 'Ma mère est professeur' (My mother is a teacher).

Pay close attention to the articles. Mère is a feminine noun, so it uses feminine articles like la (the) or ma (my). Père is a masculine noun and uses masculine articles like le (the) or mon (my).

When referring to both parents together, the French use the single word les parents. This is a convenient and extremely common term you will encounter frequently.

It's helpful to contrast la mère and le père with maman (mom/mommy) and papa (dad/daddy). The latter are terms of endearment, typically used when children speak directly to their parents, similar to 'Mom' and 'Dad' in English.

💡 * La mère de mon ami est très gentille.

• Mon père travaille dans un grand bureau.
• J'ai acheté un cadeau pour la fête des mères.
• Le père de famille est parti en voyage d'affaires.
• Ses parents habitent en France.

The affectionate 'mom' and 'dad' – maman et papa

In French, the most common, everyday terms for 'mom' and 'dad' are maman and papa. These are the affectionate words used by children and are often carried into adulthood, similar to how English speakers use 'mom' and 'dad' instead of the more formal 'mother' and 'father'.

While the official, more formal words are ma mère (my mother) and mon père (my father), you will hear maman and papa used far more frequently in casual conversation and within the family. Using mère or père when speaking directly to a parent can sound distant or overly formal.

It's important to remember the gender of these nouns. Maman is a feminine noun, so you use feminine possessive adjectives like ma maman (my mom) or ta maman (your mom). Papa is a masculine noun, requiring masculine possessives like mon papa (my dad) or ton papa (your dad).

When calling out to your parents or addressing them directly, you simply use the words on their own. For example, 'Maman !' or 'Papa, j'ai une question' (Dad, I have a question). This is the standard way to get their attention.

Using maman and papa carries a warm, familial tone. It signifies a close and affectionate relationship. Unlike some pet names that are dropped after childhood, these terms are used by French speakers of all ages when referring to or speaking with their parents.

💡 * Maman, le dîner est prêt ? (Mom, is dinner ready?)

• Mon papa m'a appris à faire du vélo. (My dad taught me how to ride a bike.)
• Je vais au cinéma avec ma maman et mon papa. (I'm going to the movies with my mom and dad.)
• Papa, tu peux venir me chercher ? (Dad, can you come pick me up?)

The slang 'folks' – les darons

The slang 'folks' – les darons

Les darons is a very common and informal French slang term for 'parents,' similar to saying 'the folks' or 'my old man/lady' in English. The singular forms are le daron for 'the father' and la daronne for 'the mother'.

This term is widely used by younger generations and in very casual, familiar settings. You would use it with friends, but it would be considered too informal or even disrespectful to use when speaking to elders or in a formal context.

While informal, les darons doesn't necessarily have a negative connotation. It's often used affectionately, much like 'my folks' in English. The tone depends entirely on the context and the speaker's intent.

💡 * Je dois demander la permission à mes darons. (I have to ask my folks for permission.)

• Mon daron est super cool. (My dad is super cool.)
• Ma daronne fait le meilleur gâteau au chocolat. (My mom makes the best chocolate cake.)
• Les darons ne sont pas à la maison ce soir. (The folks aren't home tonight.)

The 'biological parents' (formal) – les géniteurs

When discussing biological parents in a formal, legal, or scientific context, French uses the term les géniteurs.

Les géniteurs (singular: un géniteur for a male, une génitrice for a female) specifically refers to the individuals who have biologically produced a child. The term focuses purely on the genetic and reproductive contribution, separate from the act of raising a child.

This is a highly formal and somewhat clinical term. You will most often encounter it in legal documents (like adoption papers), medical reports, or sociological discussions. It carries a detached tone, separating the biological fact from the social role of parenting.

It's crucial not to confuse les géniteurs with les parents. Les parents are the people who raise a child, providing care and love, regardless of biological ties. A child's legal parents might not be their géniteurs.

In everyday conversation, you should always use les parents. Using les géniteurs casually to refer to someone's parents would sound very strange, impersonal, and even cold. Reserve it for formal contexts where the biological link is the specific point of discussion.

💡 * L'enfant a été confié à ses parents adoptifs, mais il souhaite connaître ses géniteurs. (The child was entrusted to his adoptive parents, but he wishes to know his biological parents.)

• Le test ADN a confirmé l'identité des géniteurs. (The DNA test confirmed the identity of the biological parents.)
• La loi exige le consentement de la génitrice dans ce cas précis. (The law requires the consent of the biological mother in this specific case.)

The 'adoptive parents' – les parents adoptifs

The French term for 'adoptive parents' is a direct and clear translation: les parents adoptifs. This is the standard and most widely understood phrase used in both formal and informal contexts to describe parents who have legally adopted a child.

The phrase is composed of les parents (parents) and the adjective adoptifs (adoptive). It's crucial to remember adjective agreement in French. For a single parent, you would say le père adoptif (adoptive father) or la mère adoptive (adoptive mother). The plural form adoptifs is masculine because the noun les parents is masculine, even when referring to a mother and father.

To discuss adoption more fully, you'll need related vocabulary. The verb 'to adopt' is adopter. An 'adopted child' is un enfant adopté (masculine) or une enfant adoptée (feminine). The general concept of 'adoption' is l'adoption (a feminine noun).

While les parents adoptifs is the correct term, it's typically only used when the context of adoption is relevant or needs to be specified. In everyday conversation, an adopted person will most often simply refer to their parents as mes parents ('my parents'), without any qualifier, just as in English.

💡 * Mes parents adoptifs sont les personnes les plus gentilles que je connaisse.

• Elle a été élevée par sa mère adoptive.
• Le couple a décidé d'adopter un enfant.
• Il est un père adoptif formidable pour ses deux enfants.

The 'stepparents' – le beau-père et la belle-mère

In French, the terms for stepparents are le beau-père (stepfather) and la belle-mère (stepmother). These literally translate to 'beautiful father' and 'beautiful mother' but are the standard terms for a parent's spouse.

It's crucial to know that these terms have a double meaning. Le beau-père also means 'father-in-law,' and la belle-mère also means 'mother-in-law.' This is a common point of confusion for French learners.

The correct meaning is almost always understood through the context of the conversation. If you need to be perfectly clear, you can specify by saying something like 'le mari de ma mère' (my mother's husband) to refer to your stepfather.

💡 * Mon beau-père est le nouveau mari de ma mère. (My stepfather is my mother's new husband.)

• Cendrillon n'aimait pas sa belle-mère. (Cinderella did not like her stepmother.)
• Je m'entends très bien avec mon beau-père, le père de ma femme. (I get along very well with my father-in-law, my wife's father.)
• Ma belle-mère m'appelle tous les dimanches. (My stepmother/mother-in-law calls me every Sunday.)

The 'legal guardians' – les tuteurs légaux

The phrase les tuteurs légaux is the direct French equivalent of 'the legal guardians.' This is a formal, official term used in legal, administrative, and educational contexts.

A tuteur légal (male) or tutrice légale (female) is an individual legally appointed by a court to care for a minor or an incapacitated adult. Their responsibilities cover the person's well-being, education, and financial affairs.

This term is distinct from parents. While parents are automatically the legal guardians of their children, tuteur légal is often used specifically when the guardian is someone else, such as a grandparent or a state-appointed individual, after the parents are no longer able to fulfill their role.

In the singular, you would use un tuteur légal for a male guardian and une tutrice légale for a female guardian. Note that the adjective légal(e) must agree in gender with the noun.

💡 * Les tuteurs légaux de l'enfant doivent signer le formulaire d'inscription. (The child's legal guardians must sign the registration form.)

• Sa grand-mère a été désignée comme sa tutrice légale. (His grandmother was designated as his legal guardian.)
• En tant que tuteur légal, vous avez des obligations importantes. (As a legal guardian, you have important obligations.)
• Le juge a confirmé son statut de tuteur légal. (The judge confirmed his status as a legal guardian.)

1. The 'single parent' – le parent célibataire

The most direct way to say 'single parent' in French is le parent célibataire. This phrase literally translates to 'single parent.' The word célibataire means 'single' or 'unmarried.' While the noun le parent is masculine, it can refer to a parent of any gender.

To be more specific, French uses distinct terms for a single mother and a single father. You would say une mère célibataire for a 'single mother' and un père célibataire for a 'single father.' This is very common in everyday conversation.

Another term you might encounter, particularly in administrative or social contexts, is le parent isolé. This translates to 'isolated parent' and emphasizes the situation of raising a child alone, regardless of marital status (e.g., they could be widowed or divorced).

The key difference is focus: parent célibataire highlights the parent's unmarried status, while parent isolé highlights the situation of being the sole caregiver. Therefore, parent isolé is often used when discussing social benefits or support systems for single-parent households.

💡 * En tant que père célibataire, il gère son travail et l'éducation de ses enfants.

• Elle est une mère célibataire et elle fait un travail formidable.
• Le gouvernement offre une allocation pour le parent isolé.
• La vie de parent célibataire peut être difficile, mais aussi très enrichissante.

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “parent” in French. But the French language is rich with variety, and you may encounter other terms, from formal ones, to slang, to regional variations.

To discover local terms, you can do an online search for “comment dire parent en ___” followed by the name of a specific Francophone country or region.

This might help you find some interesting synonyms for parent. Remember to always check a word’s definition and observe how it's used in context before you try it out yourself.

Pay close attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways people refer to their parents and family.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of family relationships or words about family in French, the WordReference entry for parent is a great resource to explore.

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s a perfect quote to finish with, from French writer Honoré de Balzac: Un père est un banquier donné par la nature. (A father is a banker provided by nature.)