The most common and direct way to say “son” in French is fils. However, the French language is filled with nuances and affectionate terms that go beyond this simple translation.

As you learn French, you'll discover that context is key. Depending on the situation, the speaker's relationship to the person, and even the region, you might hear a variety of words used to refer to a son.

Let's explore nine different ways to say “son” in French, from the most formal to the sweetest terms of endearment!

The standard 'son' – un fils

Un fils is the standard and most direct French word for a 'son'. It is a masculine noun, which means it will always be accompanied by masculine articles like un, le, or mon.

One of the most important things to learn about fils is its pronunciation. The final 'l' and 's' are silent. It is pronounced as [fis], sounding very similar to the English word 'fees'. This pronunciation does not change between singular and plural forms.

The spelling of fils is the same for both singular and plural. You can only tell the difference from the context and the article used:

Singular: un fils (a son), mon fils (my son), le fils (the son)
Plural: des fils (sons), mes fils (my sons), les fils (the sons)

The word is used straightforwardly to denote a male child in relation to his parent(s). For example, to say 'He is the son of the baker', you would say, C'est le fils du boulanger.

A very common French idiom that uses this word is Tel père, tel fils. This is the direct equivalent of the English expression 'Like father, like son', used to point out similarities in character or behavior between a father and his son.

💡 * Mon fils aîné étudie à Paris. (My oldest son studies in Paris.)

Elle est très fière de son fils. (She is very proud of her son.)

Le roi a deux fils et une fille. (The king has two sons and a daughter.)

Ce sont les fils de notre voisin. (These are our neighbor's sons.)

Tel père, tel fils ! Il est aussi têtu que lui. (Like father, like son! He is as stubborn as him.)

The affectionate 'my boy' – mon garçon

The affectionate phrase for 'my boy' – mon garçon.

While mon garçon literally translates to 'my boy' or 'my son,' its use in French carries a specific affectionate and often paternalistic tone. It's a term of endearment, but one that implies a difference in age or authority.

This phrase is most commonly used by an older person speaking to a younger male. Think of a grandfather to his grandson, a father to his son, or even an elderly neighbor to a young boy in the street. It establishes a warm, but hierarchical, relationship.

The feeling behind mon garçon can range from pride and encouragement to gentle advice or a mild reprimand. It’s similar to the English 'son' or 'lad' used in an avuncular way. For example, a mentor might say it to a young apprentice.

Crucially, the possessive pronoun mon (my) is what makes the phrase affectionate. Simply calling out Garçon! to get a waiter's attention is now considered very outdated and rude in France. The addition of mon completely changes the meaning from a generic noun to a personal term of endearment.

💡 * Bravo, mon garçon, tu as gagné la course ! (Well done, my boy, you won the race!)

Écoute-moi bien, mon garçon, ce conseil est important. (Listen to me carefully, my boy, this advice is important.)

Ne pleure pas, mon garçon, ce n'est qu'une égratignure. (Don't cry, my boy, it's just a scratch.)

Le vieux boulanger dit toujours : « Alors, mon garçon, que veux-tu aujourd'hui ? » (The old baker always says: "So, my boy, what do you want today?")

The informal 'kid' or 'lad' – un gamin

When you want to refer to a child, especially a young boy, in a more informal or colloquial way, the word un gamin is a perfect choice. It's a staple of everyday spoken French.

Un gamin translates closely to 'a kid', 'a lad', or 'a young boy'. It is distinctly informal and used frequently in casual conversation, but you would typically avoid it in formal writing or speeches.

Like many nouns, it has different forms:

un gamin: a young boy/kid (masculine singular)
une gamine: a young girl/kid (feminine singular)
des gamins: a group of boys or a mixed group of children (masculine plural)
des gamines: a group of girls (feminine plural)

The word gamin/gamine can be used affectionately, similar to 'little one'. However, it can also carry a slightly pejorative connotation, implying immaturity or mischievousness. For instance, telling an adult to Arrête de faire le gamin ! means 'Stop acting like a kid!'

The tone of voice and the situation are crucial for understanding the intended meaning. A grandparent fondly referring to mes gamins (my kids/grandkids) is endearing. In contrast, calling someone a sale gamin ('dirty kid') is a clear insult.

💡 * Regarde ces gamins qui jouent dans le parc. (Look at those kids playing in the park.)

C'est juste une gamine, elle ne voulait pas mal faire. (She's just a little girl, she didn't mean any harm.)

Il a 30 ans mais il se comporte toujours comme un gamin. (He's 30 years old but he still acts like a kid.)

Quelle adorable petite gamine ! (What an adorable little girl!)

The endearing 'little one' – le petit

The endearing 'little one' – le petit

Le petit literally translates to 'the little one'. While it can refer to a child, it's also a common term of endearment for a loved one, similar to calling someone 'my dear' or 'sweetheart' in English. The tone is affectionate and gentle.

This term must agree with the gender of the person you're referring to. For a male, you use le petit, and for a female, you use the feminine form, la petite. When used with a possessive adjective, it becomes mon petit (for a male) and ma petite (for a female).

While most commonly used for children or a romantic partner, its use depends heavily on the relationship between the speakers. It implies a sense of closeness, care, and sometimes a slight dynamic of protectiveness.

💡 * Allez, mon petit, il est temps de dormir. (Come on, my little one, it's time to sleep.)

Comment va la petite aujourd'hui ? (How is the little one (female) today?)

Le petit de la voisine est très sage. (The neighbor's little one (boy) is very well-behaved.)

Ne t'inquiète pas, ma petite. (Don't worry, my little one (female).)

The 'heir' – l'héritier

The 'heir' – l'héritier

L'héritier is the direct French word for 'the heir.' It formally refers to a person legally designated to inherit property, a title, or assets from someone who has passed away.

It is essential to know the feminine form, l'héritière, used for a female heir. In French, you must match the noun to the gender of the person you are referring to.

The 'h' at the beginning of héritier and héritière is a h muet (a silent 'h'). This means the word starts with a vowel sound, which is why it's preceded by l' instead of le or la.

The term can also be used in a figurative sense to describe a successor who carries on a legacy or tradition. For example, one could be the héritier of a particular artistic style or philosophical movement.

Remember to use l'héritier for males and l'héritière for females. The word belongs to a more formal register, often related to legal, financial, or royal contexts.

💡 * Le prince est l'héritier de la couronne. (The prince is the heir to the crown.)

Après le décès de son oncle, il est devenu l'unique héritier. (After his uncle's death, he became the sole heir.)

Sa fille aînée est désignée comme son héritière principale. (His eldest daughter is designated as his main heiress.)

Ce jeune chef est considéré comme l'héritier de la grande cuisine française. (This young chef is considered the heir to great French cuisine.)

The 'offspring' (literary/humorous) – le rejeton

The French word le rejeton is a literary and often humorous way to say 'offspring' or 'child.' Its literal meaning is 'a shoot' or 'an offshoot' of a plant, which poetically frames a child as a new branch of the family tree. It carries a slightly old-fashioned and formal tone.

You are most likely to encounter le rejeton in literature or hear it used ironically or affectionately, especially by older speakers. It's not a common word in everyday conversation. Using it can make you sound either very well-read or deliberately theatrical. It is often used to refer to the children of important or famous people.

Le rejeton is always a masculine noun, regardless of the child's gender. When referring to a daughter, you would still use le rejeton. The plural form is les rejetons, which is used for multiple children of any gender.

While it's a great word to recognize, it's best to use it sparingly. Save it for when you want to be intentionally funny or dramatic. For regular daily interactions, stick with standard terms like un enfant (a child), un fils (a son), or une fille (a daughter).

💡 Le célèbre musicien est venu au gala avec son dernier rejeton.
Alors, comment vont tes rejetons ? Toujours aussi turbulents ?
Il est le rejeton d'une longue lignée d'avocats.
Je dois aller chercher le rejeton à son cours de piano.

1. The 'eldest son' – l'aîné

The word l'aîné is used in French to refer to the eldest child, specifically the eldest son. It's a key term for describing family relationships. Importantly, it has both a masculine and a feminine form. You use l'aîné for a male and l'aînée for a female.

L'aîné can function as both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it stands alone: C'est l'aîné de la famille (He's the eldest in the family). As an adjective, it modifies a noun, such as mon fils aîné (my eldest son) or ma sœur aînée (my eldest sister).

The plural form, les aînés, can refer to the eldest children. However, it also has a very common broader meaning, referring to 'elders' or 'senior citizens' in society, similar to 'the elderly' in English.

💡 * Je suis l'aîné de la famille. (I am the eldest in the family.)

Mon frère aîné habite à Lyon. (My older brother lives in Lyon.)

Sa fille aînée est avocate. (His eldest daughter is a lawyer.)

Il faut prendre soin de nos aînés. (We must take care of our elders.)

The 'youngest son' – le cadet

The 'youngest son' – le cadet

In French, le cadet specifically refers to the youngest son or the younger of two brothers in a family. It’s a common and essential term for describing family relationships and birth order.

The feminine equivalent is la cadette, which means the youngest daughter. The plural forms are les cadets (youngest sons/children) and les cadettes (youngest daughters). For example, you would refer to your younger sister as ma sœur cadette.

The antonym for le cadet is l'aîné, which means 'the eldest son' or 'the elder'. The feminine form is l'aînée. Understanding both terms is key to discussing sibling hierarchy in French.

💡 *Il est le cadet de la famille, il n'a que dix ans. (He is the youngest in the family, he is only ten years old.)

Ma sœur cadette est médecin. (My younger sister is a doctor.)

C'est mon souci le cadet. (That's the least of my worries. - idiomatic use)

Je m'entends mieux avec mon frère cadet qu'avec mon aîné. (I get along better with my younger brother than with my older one.)

1. The 'baby boy' – un bébé garçon

The most straightforward and literal way to say 'baby boy' in French is un bébé garçon. This phrase breaks down simply: un bébé means 'a baby' and garçon means 'boy'. In French, the noun bébé is always masculine, hence the use of the masculine article un.

While un bébé garçon is perfectly correct, in everyday conversation, French speakers often simplify the term once the context is established. For instance, after announcing a birth, they might simply refer to the baby as un petit garçon ('a little boy') or even just un garçon ('a boy').

Another common term you'll encounter is un nouveau-né, which means 'a newborn'. This term is neutral but is often used when discussing a baby right after birth. If you want to be more informal and affectionate, you might hear a phrase like un petit bonhomme (literally 'a little fellow' or 'a little man'), which is a very endearing way to refer to a baby boy.

To provide some contrast, a 'baby girl' is referred to as un bébé fille. It's important to note that the noun bébé itself remains masculine (un bébé), but the gender is specified by adding fille ('girl'). This is a key grammatical point to remember.

💡 * C'est un bébé garçon, il s'appelle Léo. (It's a baby boy, his name is Léo.)

Mon amie a accouché d'un adorable bébé garçon hier. (My friend gave birth to an adorable baby boy yesterday.)

Le petit garçon dans la poussette ne doit pas avoir plus de six mois. (The little boy in the stroller can't be more than six months old.)

Ils sont très heureux d'accueillir leur nouveau-né à la maison. (They are very happy to welcome their newborn home.)

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

This article has covered the most common and essential ways to say 'son' in French, primarily focusing on fils. However, the French language is also full of affectionate nicknames, informal slang, and regional variations that you might encounter.

You can discover more by doing an online search for phrases like “surnoms affectueux pour un fils” (affectionate nicknames for a son). This can reveal more personal and tender ways French speakers refer to their children.

Remember that many alternatives for 'son' are highly contextual. Terms of endearment like mon petit (my little one) or mon grand (my big boy) depend entirely on the relationship and situation. Always observe how native speakers use them before you do.

Pay close attention as you watch French films, listen to French music, or read French books. You will naturally pick up on the diverse and heartfelt ways parents refer to their sons in different situations.

If you're looking for related vocabulary, such as 'godson' (filleul) or 'son-in-law' (beau-fils), the WordReference entry for fils is an excellent and reliable resource to explore.

I hope this guide has helped clarify how to say 'son' in French. To finish, here is a classic French proverb that perfectly captures the generational bond: Tel père, tel fils. (Like father, like son.)

'9 ways to say "son" in French'