grand frère
/ɡʁɑ̃ fʁɛʁ/
In French, 'big brother' is translated as grand frère.
The phrase is used to refer to a brother who is older than another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of grand, meaning big or tall and frère, meaning brother.
Which one should you use?
While grand frère is used for an older brother, petit frère is the standard way to refer to a little brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, add an 's' to both the adjective and the noun, resulting in grands frères.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡʁɑ̃ fʁɛʁ/
Did you know?
- In French, calling someone your grand frère can be a metaphorical way to describe a mentor or a protective figure, even if there is no blood relation.
- While grand frère describes a family relationship, the concept of a surveillance state 'Big Brother' from George Orwell's novel is translated into French as Grand Frère with capital letters.
- The word frère is also used in French slang as a term of endearment or camaraderie between close male friends, similar to the English 'bro'.
Examples in context
- Mon grand frère sait conduire.My big brother can drive.This sentence is useful for showing how to use grand frère when talking about a capability.Tatoeba #1557098 by sacredceltic, translation #10567937 by sundown
- Tom est le grand frère de John.Tom is John's big brother.This sentence is useful for showing how to use grand frère to indicate a relationship between two people.Tatoeba #5645687 by narnar, translation #11009281 by shekitten
- Tu ressembles beaucoup à ton grand frère.You look just like your big brother.This sentence is useful for showing how to use grand frère when describing a physical resemblance.Tatoeba #11124365 by Aiji, translation #16743 by Swift
- Mon frère aîné est un modèle pour moiMy older brother is a role model for me
- Je suis très proche de mon grand frérotI am very close to my big brother
- Mon grand frangin est vraiment génialMy big brother is really awesome
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are looking at family photos.
- NathanC'est qui, le garçon sur la photo ?Who is the boy in the photo?
- EmmaC'est mon grand frère, Marc.That is my big brother, Marc.
- NathanIl a l'air très gentil.He looks very kind.
- EmmaOui, il est très protecteur.Yes, he is very protective.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grand frère, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
