fille
/fij/feminine
The French word for daughter is fille.
The word fille is used to refer to a female offspring. It is the most common and neutral term for a daughter in French. Note that depending on the context, fille can also mean 'girl'.
Meaning: female offspring (noun)
Which one should you use?
The phrase fille unique is used specifically to emphasize that someone has an only daughter. While fille is the standard term, the word enfant (child) is sometimes used to refer to a daughter in formal or legal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the word pitoune might be used affectionately to refer to a daughter.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of fille is filles, which can mean either 'daughters' or 'girls'.
How do you pronounce it?
/fij/
Did you know?
- In certain slang contexts, fille can carry a very derogatory meaning. It is sometimes used as a shorthand for phrases like fille de joie, which historically referred to prostitutes.
- French uses the word fille for 'girl' regardless of age. An adult woman might be referred to as a fille in casual social groups, whereas in English, 'girl' is more strictly for children.
Examples in context
- Tu es ma fille.You are my daughter.This sentence is useful for showing the possessive relationship between a parent and a daughter.Tatoeba #3660813 by sacredceltic, translation #2547999 by CC
- Il a une fille.He has a daughter.This sentence is useful for showing the possession of a daughter by a male subject.Tatoeba #11964103 by Amastan, translation #8303241 by Amastan
- As-tu une fille ?Do you have a daughter?This sentence is useful for asking a question about whether someone has a daughter.Tatoeba #3660928 by sacredceltic, translation #2646084 by CK
- Mon fils est étudiant en médecine, et ma fille travaille comme avocate.My son is a medical student, and my daughter works as a lawyer.
- J'ai une fille unique et je suis très fière d'elle.I have an only daughter, and I am very proud of her.
- Comment ça s'est passé à l'école aujourd'hui, ma fille ?How was school today, my daughter?
- 523 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are talking about their children at a park.
- LéaEst-ce que ta fille joue là-bas ?Is your daughter playing over there?
- GabrielOui, c'est ma fille, elle est très mignonne.Yes, it's my daughter, she is very cute.
- LéaElle court très vite !She runs very fast!
- GabrielElle a beaucoup d'énergie aujourd'hui.She has a lot of energy today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daughter” translations and entries fille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
