tante et oncle
The English phrase "aunt and uncle" is translated into French as tante et oncle.
This phrase is used to refer to the sister or brother of one's parent and their spouse.
Which one should you use?
While tante et oncle is the standard way to refer to these relatives, you may encounter tata et tonton, which are the colloquial and affectionate versions of these terms.
Did you know?
- In French, calling an older person tonton or tata is sometimes used as a sign of affection or respect for a close family friend, even if there is no biological blood relation.
- The word tante likely evolved from the Latin amita because children repeating the word used a 't' sound, which eventually changed the spelling of the word.
- The diminutive forms tata and tonton are so common that they are often used by adults when being playful or affectionate, not just by children.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are looking at old family photos.
- LucasQui sont les gens sur cette photo ?Who are the people in this photo?
- ManonCe sont ma tante et oncle préférés.Those are my favorite aunt and uncle.
- LucasIls ont l'air très gentils.They look very kind.
- ManonOui, ils sont adorables.Yes, they are lovely.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries et, oncle, tante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
