belle famille
The English phrase "beautiful family" is translated into French as belle famille.
In French, belle famille is the standard term used to refer to one's in-laws or the family of one's spouse.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, belle famille translates to "beautiful family" or "mother-in-law/father-in-law's family".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not assume that belle famille only refers to the aesthetic beauty of a family. It is primarily used to refer to your in-laws.
Did you know?
- The Latin root of famille is familia, which originally referred to a household of servants and slaves rather than just blood relatives. This historical connection highlights the concept of a structured domestic unit.
- If you want to specifically mention your mother-in-law or father-in-law, you would use belle-mère or beau-père. These terms are identical to the words for 'stepmother' and 'stepfather'.
- While belle famille is a neutral term, referring to your belle-mère can sometimes carry a stereotypical connotation of a difficult relationship in French cinema and literature.
Examples in context
- C'est une belle famille.This is a beautiful family.This sentence is useful for seeing belle famille used in a basic context.Tatoeba #8317322 by Julien_PDC, translation #8423435 by Ergulis
- Je tiens à vous féliciter pour votre famille magnifique et bien équilibrée.I would like to congratulate you on your beautiful and well-balanced family.
- Salut Sophie, tu as une belle p'tite famille !Hey Sophie, you have a beautiful little family!
- Wow, vous formez une famille superbe !Wow, you all make such a stunning family!
- Tu as une belle gang , félicitations !You have a beautiful family, congratulations!
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are talking about their upcoming weekend plans.
- ManonTu vas voir ta belle famille samedi ?Are you going to see your in-laws on Saturday?
- LucasOui, je vais déjeuner avec eux.Yes, I am going to have lunch with them.
- ManonC'est gentil de ta part, Lucas.That is kind of you, Lucas.
- LucasMa belle famille est très accueillante.My in-laws are very welcoming.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries famille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
