fille mignonne
The English phrase 'cute girl' is translated into French as fille mignonne.
The phrase refers to a girl who is attractive in a sweet or endearing way.
Which one should you use?
While fille mignonne implies a sweet, endearing or 'cute' attractiveness, the phrase belle fille is used to emphasize classical beauty.
How does it change in a sentence?
In standard French word order, the adjective mignonne follows the noun fille. To form the plural 'cute girls', both the noun and the adjective must take an 's', resulting in filles mignonnes.
Did you know?
- The word mignonne is the feminine form of mignon, and while it means 'cute', it is also the root of the English word 'minion', which originally meant a 'favorite' or 'darling'.
- In modern French slang, young people might use the word meuf instead of fille when talking about a 'cute girl' in a very casual setting.
- Because fille can also be a slang term for a 'prostitute', calling someone a fille mignonne in certain rougher contexts might inadvertently sound much more vulgar than intended.
Examples in context
- Tu es une fille mignonne.You're a cute girl.This sentence is useful for stating 'You're a cute girl' using fille mignonne.Tatoeba #2814275 by Yan, translation #2548449 by CK
- C'est une fille mignonne.She is a cute girl.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are looking at a photo of a child.
- HugoQui est sur la photo ?Who is in the photo?
- LéaC'est ma cousine, une fille mignonne.It is my cousin, a cute girl.
- HugoElle a ton sourire.She has your smile.
- LéaMerci beaucoup, Hugo !Thank you very much, Hugo!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
