How to Talk About Family in French: Using Possessive Adjectives for Relatives
Learn to say who is in your family in French, using mon, ma, mes and family vocabulary to describe relationships rather than personal details.
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When you introduce yourself in French, you give information about you: your name, your job, where you live. Talking about family is different: you describe relationships between people. To do this, you need family words such as frère (brother) and sœur (sister), and possessive adjectives such as mon, ma and mes. This lesson teaches you to say things like J'ai deux sœurs (I have two sisters) and Mes parents habitent à l'étranger (My parents live abroad).
By the end, you can…
- name close family members in French with the correct article or possessive adjective.
- say how many brothers and sisters I have using avoir.
- say where my parents or siblings live using habiter.
- choose mon, ma or mes correctly according to the noun.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
J'ai deux sœurs.
I have two sisters.
zhay duh suhr
Use avoir (to have) for brothers and sisters. Deux means two; the noun sœurs is plural.
J'ai un frère et une sœur.
I have one brother and one sister.
zhay un frehr ay oon suhr
Un is masculine, une is feminine. Use et (and) to join them.
Mes parents habitent à l'étranger.
My parents live abroad.
may pah-RAHN ah-beet ah lay-trawn-ZHAY
Mes is the plural possessive for both genders. Habitent is the ils/elles form of habiter.
Ma sœur habite à Lyon.
My sister lives in Lyon.
mah suhr ah-beet ah lee-OHN
Ma is used before a feminine singular noun. Habite is the il/elle form.
Mon frère est marié.
My brother is married.
mon frehr ay mah-ree-AY
Mon is used before a masculine singular noun. Est means is.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
French possessive adjectives agree with the noun that follows, not with the owner. Mon is used before a masculine singular noun: mon frère, mon père. Ma is used before a feminine singular noun: ma sœur, ma mère. Mes is used before any plural noun: mes frères, mes sœurs, mes parents. So you say ma sœur even if the speaker is male, because sœur is feminine.
When to use it
Use these patterns when you describe your family rather than yourself. J'ai deux frères states a fact about your siblings. Mes parents habitent à l'étranger says where your parents live. To ask about someone else, say Tu as des frères et sœurs ? (Do you have brothers and sisters?). In polite form, use Vous avez des frères et sœurs ? Note that French usually does not omit the possessive adjective: say mes parents, not parents alone, when you mean 'my parents'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu as des frères et sœurs ?
Do you have brothers and sisters?tew ah day frehr ay suhrOui, j'ai une sœur et deux frères.
Yes, I have one sister and two brothers.wee, zhay oon suhr ay duh frehrEt tes parents, ils habitent où ?
And your parents, where do they live?ay tay pah-RAHN, eel ah-beet ooMes parents habitent à l'étranger, mais ma sœur habite à Paris.
My parents live abroad, but my sister lives in Paris.may pah-RAHN ah-beet ah lay-trawn-ZHAY, may mah suhr ah-beet ah pah-REEA little context goes a long way
In everyday French conversation, family questions are common but can feel personal. Tu as des frères et sœurs ? is normal among friends, students and colleagues of similar age. With someone you have just met in a formal setting, use the vous form and keep the question general. In France, Belgium and Switzerland, the same basic family words are used, though regional accents vary. Avoid assuming that everyone has a traditional family structure; a neutral question such as Tu as des frères et sœurs ? works for many situations.
One thing to watch for
Saying *J'ai deux sœurs* but then using *mon sœurs* or *ma frères*.
Try this instead: Match the possessive adjective to the noun's gender and number: ma sœur (feminine singular), mon frère (masculine singular), mes sœurs (plural). For example, say Ma sœur habite à Lyon, not Mon sœur habite à Lyon.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I have two sisters' in French?
Show a sample answer
J'ai deux sœurs.
J'ai means 'I have'. Deux means 'two'. Sœurs is the plural of sœur, so the final s is written but not pronounced.
2Complete with the correct possessive adjective: ___ parents habitent à l'étranger.
Show a sample answer
Mes parents habitent à l'étranger.
Parents is plural, so use mes. Mon and ma are singular. The sentence means 'My parents live abroad'.
3Translate: 'My sister lives in Paris.'
Show a sample answer
Ma sœur habite à Paris.
Sœur is feminine singular, so use ma. Habite is the il/elle form of habiter. À Paris means 'in Paris'.
Use mon, ma or mes according to the family noun, and remember that French possessive adjectives agree with the person or thing possessed, not the speaker.
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