arrière-petite-fille
The French phrase for great granddaughter is arrière-petite-fille.
arrière-petite-fille is used to refer to the daughter of one's grandchild.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term is a compound noun joined by hyphens.
Did you know?
- The prefix arrière- acts as a directional marker meaning 'at the back', which literally positions the child 'behind' the granddaughter in the family line.
- To describe a great-great-granddaughter, French speakers simply add another arrière to the front, creating arrière-arrière-petite-fille.
- The word petite in arrière-petite-fille does not refer to the child's size, but is a linguistic marker used to distinguish a grandchild from a daughter.
Examples in context
- C'est ma petite arrière-petite-fille.She is my little great granddaughter.
- Sa première arrière-petite-fille est née hier.His first great granddaughter was born yesterday.
- Je cherche une photo de mon arrière-petite-fille.I am looking for a photo of my great granddaughter.
Example conversation
Two relatives are talking about a new baby at a family gathering.
- LéaFélicitations pour ton arrière-petite-fille !Congratulations on your great granddaughter!
- LucasMerci Léa, elle est magnifique.Thank you Léa, she is beautiful.
- LéaEst-ce qu'elle ressemble à son père ?Does she look like her father?
- LucasOui, elle a le même regard.Yes, she has the same look.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arrière-petite-fille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
