baby-sitting
masculine
The English phrase "babysitting" is baby-sitting in French.
In casual conversation, the English loanword is commonly used and is treated as a masculine noun, le baby-sitting.
Meaning: work of a babysitter (noun)
Did you know?
- French uses the word garde to describe babysitting, which is the same word used for 'guarding' a prisoner or 'keeping' a secret.
- The act of baby-sitting is often distinguished from l'assistante maternelle, which refers to a certified professional who cares for children in their own home.
- Historically, the concept of 'babysitting' as a casual job for teenagers is a relatively modern import to French culture, whereas la garde d'enfants has much older roots.
Examples in context
- Je fais de la garde d'enfants tous les samedis soir.I do babysitting every Saturday night.
- J'adore garder des enfants, c'est toujours amusant.I love babysitting, it's always fun.
- Est-ce que vous avez besoin d'une personne pour garder vos enfants?Do you need someone to babysit your children?
- Le baby-sitting est fatigant pour moi.Babysitting is tiring for me.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about their weekend plans.
- LucasQu'est-ce que tu fais ce samedi, Emma ?What are you doing this Saturday, Emma?
- EmmaJe commence un nouveau baby-sitting pour des voisins.I am starting a new babysitting job for some neighbors.
- LucasC'est super, tu aimes garder des enfants ?That's great, do you like looking after children?
- EmmaOui, j'adore ça !Yes, I love it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “babysitting” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
