parrain
/pa.ʁɛ̃/masculine
The French word for godfather is parrain.
parrain is a masculine noun used to describe a man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner. While parrain is often used alone, you can use the phrase parrain de baptême to specifically specify the religious role of a godfather of a christening.
Meaning: man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner (noun)
Which one should you use?
parrain is the masculine form, while marraine is the feminine form used for a godmother.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Belgium and Switzerland, the term marraine is used to refer to both godmothers and godfathers.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word plural, add an s to the end: parrains.
How do you pronounce it?
/pa.ʁɛ̃/ (two syllables)
Did you know?
- The word parrain is an etymological relative of the English word 'parent', as both trace their roots back to the Latin word pater meaning 'father'.
- In a professional context, a parrain can refer to a 'mentor' who guides a newcomer through a company's culture.
- The term parrain can be used in a political context to describe a powerful patron who uses their influence to help a protégé's career.
Examples in context
- Tom est mon parrain.Tom is my godfather.This sentence shows how to identify a person as your parrain.Tatoeba #10745618 by Nyans, translation #9241171 by CK
- Ziri est le parrain de Walid.Ziri is Walid's godfather.This sentence demonstrates how to state that someone is the parrain of another person.Tatoeba #10745619 by Nyans, translation #10210073 by Amastan
- Le Parrain est mon film préféré.The Godfather is my favorite movie.This sentence illustrates the use of parrain when referring to the movie title The Godfather.Tatoeba #10745620 by Nyans, translation #7548875 by MisterBrown
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are discussing the upcoming baptism of a baby.
- LéaLucas, tu veux être le parrain de notre bébé ?Lucas, do you want to be the godfather of our baby?
- LucasC'est un grand honneur pour moi, Léa.It is a great honor for me, Léa.
- LéaJe sais que tu seras un excellent parrain.I know you will be an excellent godfather.
- LucasMerci, je promets de toujours l'aider.Thank you, I promise to always help him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “godfather” translations and entries parrain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries parrain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
