petite fille
/pə.tit fij/
The English phrase "baby girl" is translated into French as petite fille.
The phrase petite fille is used to refer to a very young female human child. When expressing affection towards a baby girl, speakers may also use informal terms of endearment such as Chérie (dear or darling), Louloute (a playful term for little girls) or Puce (literally "flea").
When do people say it?
In affectionate contexts, it is common to use terms of endearment like Chérie, Louloute or Puce when speaking to or about a baby girl.
Did you know?
- While petite fille means 'little girl', using only the word fille to refer to a person can be risky. In certain slang contexts, fille alone can be a euphemism for a prostitute.
- The word fille shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'filial', which relates to the duties or relationships between parents and children.
- When French speakers use Chérie for a baby girl, they are using a form of the word for 'dear' that is also commonly used between romantic partners.
Examples in context
- La femme mit au monde une petite fille.The woman gave birth to a baby girl.This sentence illustrates the use of petite fille in the context of a birth.Tatoeba #2393740 by sacredceltic, translation #2254347 by _undertoad
- Elle a accouché d’une adorable petite fille la semaine dernière.She gave birth to a pretty baby girl last week.This sentence shows how to describe a pretty baby girl using petite fille.Tatoeba #373926 by zmoo, translation #315453 by CK
- J'aimerais envoyer une carte de félicitations à Madonna pour la naissance de sa petite fille.I'd like to send a congratulations card to Madonna for the birth of her baby girl.This sentence demonstrates using petite fille when referring to a birth celebration.Tatoeba #6903 by Scott, translation #255675 by ventana
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are looking at a photo of a newborn.
- NathanQuelle belle petite fille !What a beautiful baby girl!
- ManonOui, elle est très mignonne.Yes, she is very cute.
- NathanEst-ce que sa mère dort ?Is her mother sleeping?
- ManonNon, elle s'occupe de sa petite fille.No, she is taking care of her baby girl.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry petite fille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
