garçon et fille
The English phrase "boy and girl" is translated into French as garçon et fille.
The phrase is used to refer to a male and a female child. While garçon et fille is the standard way to express this, there are informal terms available for these individuals, such as gars for a boy and nana for a girl.
Which one should you use?
The standard order is garçon et fille, but you may also say fille et garçon. Both are grammatically correct and mean the same thing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, specific terms are used for romantic partners: chum refers to a boyfriend and blonde refers to a girlfriend.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to refer to a specific or general group of children, such as 'the boys and the girls', you should use the plural articles for both nouns, resulting in les garçons et les filles.
Did you know?
- The word garçon shares an unexpected history with the English word 'wretch'. Both descend from a Germanic root referring to an 'exile' or 'outcast'.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are looking at a photo of a family.
- GabrielIls ont un garçon et fille ?Do they have a boy and girl?
- LéaOui, ils ont deux enfants.Yes, they have two children.
- GabrielC'est très mignon, Gabriel.That is very cute, Gabriel.
- LéaJe suis d'accord avec toi.I agree with you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries et, fille, garçon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
