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French Vocabulary – Family Posted by on Jan 14, 2009 in Vocabulary

In my effort to provide vocabulary in context, I thought it would be a good idea to begin providing groups of words that belong with each other in some way.  Perhaps it will make vocabulary learning easier for my readers… Let me know what you think!

In this article, I’ll provide some vocabulary words and expressions that are related to the family.  

accoucher – to give birth
l’accoucheur – the doctor that delivers the child
l’accouchement –
childbirth

adopter – to adopt
l’adoption – adoption

aimer – to love
l’amour – love
un amant – lover (romantically – male)
une maitresse – mistress
être amoureux de quelqu’un – be in love with someone

ascendant – ascendant
 l’ascendance –
descent
*Je suis d’ascendance anglaise.  
(I’m of English descent.) 

un cocu / une cocue – someone who has been cheated on by his wife /her husband
faire cocu quelqu’un – to cheat on someone
être cocu – to have been cheated on 

un compagnon / une compagne – someone one lives with without being married

descendre de quelqu’un – to be descended from
le descendant – the son, daughter, grandchild of someone
la descendance – descendants (as a group)

divorcer – to divorce
le divorce – the divorce
un divorcé / une divorcée – a divorcee
briser un couple –  to break a couple up 

épouser quelqu’un (se marier avec quelqu’un) – to marry someone
l’époux – the husband
l’épouse – the wife
les époux – the married couple 

se fiancer (s’engager à se marier) – to get engaged
le fiancé / la fiancée – the fiancé
les fiançailles –  the engagement

fidèle – faithful, someone who does not cheat
la fidélité (conjugale) – faithfulness
infidèle – unfaithful
l’infidélité – unfaithfulness 

hériter de quelque chose de quelqu’un – to inherit something from someone
l’héritier / l’héritière – heir / heiress
l’heritage – the inheritance

se marier – to get married
marier ton fils / ta fille – to marry off your son / daughter
le marié / la mariée – the groom / the bride
le mariage – the marriage, the wedding
né d’un premier mariage – (child) from a previous marriage 

un ménage – a household
être en ménage avec quelqu’un / vivre avec quelqu’un – to live with someone
être heureux en ménage – to be happily married

être né / être née – to be born
*Je suis né le 25 mars. (I was born on March 25th.)
naître – to be born
*Le bébé doit naître le 25 mars.  (The baby is due on March 25th.)
un nouveau-né – a newborn
la naissance – birth
date de naissance – birthdate
*Ma date de naissance est le 25 mars 1970.  (My birthdate is March 25, 1970.) 

la noce – nuptials
la noce – the wedding party
la noce – wedding celebration
les noces – wedding
les noces d’or – golden wedding anniversary

rompre avec quelqu’un – to break up with someone
la rupture – the break-up

se séparer – to separate, not live together anymore
la séparation – the separation

tromper ta femme / ton mari – be unfaithful to your wife /husband
une femme trompé – a woman whose husband has cheated on her
un mari trompé – a man whose wife has cheated on him

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