fille au pair
/fij o pɛʁ/feminine
The English phrase "au pair" is translated into French as fille au pair. Wiktionary also lists garçon au pair and jeune au pair.
Meaning: single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fille au pair | /fij o pɛʁ/ | feminine |
| garçon au pair | /ɡaʁ.sɔ̃ o pɛʁ/ | masculine |
| jeune au pair | /ʒœn o pɛʁ/ | by personal gender, feminine, masculine |
An au pair is a single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family.
Which one should you use?
The specific form you use depends on the gender of the person. Use fille au pair specifically for a female au pair and garçon au pair for a male au pair. If you want to refer to an au pair without specifying their gender, you can use the gender-neutral term jeune au pair.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the feminine form, it is common to see the phrase jeune fille au pair used to specify a young woman.
Did you know?
- The word garçon shares a surprising historical link with the English word 'wretch'. Both descend from a Germanic root referring to an 'exile' or 'outcast'.
Examples in context
- Elle travaille comme jeune-fille au pair.She works as an au pair.This sentence shows how to use the form fille au pair to describe someone's job.Tatoeba #4885258 by sacredceltic, translation #2467141 by Hybrid
- J'ai engagé une jeune fille au pair pour m'aider avec mes enfants et les tâches ménagères.I hired an au pair to assist me with my kids and household chores.
- Nous cherchons une fille au pair pour l'été.We are looking for an au pair for the summer.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are talking about their travel plans.
- EmmaJe veux devenir fille au pair l'année prochaine.I want to become an au pair next year.
- LucasC'est une super idée pour apprendre une langue.That's a great idea for learning a language.
- EmmaOui, je rêve de vivre à Paris.Yes, I dream of living in Paris.
- LucasTu vas adorer cette expérience, Emma.You are going to love this experience, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “au pair” translations and entries fille au pair, garçon au pair, jeune au pair, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, garçon, jeune, pair, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
