Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| baby-boomer | ||
| baby boomer | ||
| bébé-boumeur | /be.be.bu.mœʁ/ | masculine |
This term refers to a person born after the Second World War. While French speakers often use the English terms directly, you can also use more formal French descriptions depending on the context.
Which one should you use?
The term baby-boomer is an informal way to refer to someone from this generation. You may also see the untranslated English form baby boomer used in French media and casual conversation. When referring to the generation as a collective group, the English-derived form is often used in the plural as les baby-boomers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, you can use the phrase Personne née dans l'après-guerre to describe a person born after the war or the even more formal Génération du baby-boom to refer to the generation itself. In informal settings, Baby-boomer or the direct English borrowing baby boomer are common.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you use the Gallicized spelling, the masculine form is bébé-boumeur and the feminine form is bébé-boumeuse.
Did you know?
- The term boomer was adopted into French not through sociology or news, but primarily through the global spread of the OK, boomer internet meme.
- The term baby-boomer is inextricably linked in France to the Trente Glorieuses, a period of thirty years of massive economic growth and modernization after 1945.
- The term 'boomer' has recently entered the French lexicon via internet culture, often used in the same dismissive way as the English 'OK, boomer' to mock older generations.
Examples in context
- Mon père est une personne née dans l'après-guerre.My father is a baby boomer.
- Les baby-boomers ont connu des changements sociaux majeurs.Baby boomers have witnessed major social changes.
- Mon oncle est un baby-boomer.My uncle is a baby boomer.
- Est-ce qu'il est baby-boomer ou plus jeune ?Is he a baby boomer or younger?
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are talking about their grandparents.
- ManonMa grand-mère est une baby-boomer active.My grandmother is an active baby boomer.
- LucasC'est vrai, ils ont beaucoup d'énergie.That's true, they have a lot of energy.
- ManonElle adore voyager et découvrir le monde.She loves traveling and discovering the world.
- LucasC'est génial pour Lucas et Manon.That's great for Lucas and Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby boomer” translations and entries baby-boomer, bébé-boumeur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
