How to Say “Boyfriend” in French

Ways to say it

Which one should you use?

While many forms exist, they carry different nuances. Mon/ton/son ami is highly ambiguous and usually means 'my friend', whereas mon copain is a very common, informal way to say 'my boyfriend' in everyday spoken French. The forms petit ami and petit copain are considered dated. For a more serious or formal way to describe a long-term partner or life companion, use compagnon. In casual slang, one might use mec to mean 'my guy' or 'my boyfriend'.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

Compagnon is a formal term used for a serious partner. In contrast, copain is informal and common in daily speech. For slang or very casual settings, mec is used. If you want to refer to a boyfriend affectionately, you can use chéri, which means 'dear' or 'darling'.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Quebec, Canada, the colloquial term chum is frequently used to mean a boyfriend or a male friend.

How does it change in a sentence?

The provided forms are masculine. To refer to a 'girlfriend', change the masculine petit ami to the feminine petite amie.

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation of petit ami is /pə.ti.t‿a.mi/ and it has 4 syllables.

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers often mistakenly use mon ami to mean 'my boyfriend'. In French, this usually just means 'my friend', so use a different term to avoid confusion.