Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| femme au foyer | /fa.m‿o fwa.je/ | feminine |
| maîtresse de maison | /mɛ.tʁɛs də mɛ.zɔ̃/ /me.tʁɛs də me.zɔ̃/ |
feminine |
| mère au foyer | /mɛʁ o fwa.je/ | feminine |
All provided forms are used to describe a female head of household. While femme au foyer describes the professional/social status of staying at home, other variations exist depending on whether you wish to emphasize motherhood or a more traditional role.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase femme au foyer literally translates to "woman at the home" or "woman at the hearth".
Which one should you use?
femme au foyer is the general term for a housewife. In contrast, mère au foyer specifically emphasizes the role of being a mother, such as a "stay-at-home mother". maîtresse de maison is a more formal or traditional term often used to describe a hostess or the lady of a household, meaning "mistress of the house".
How does it change in a sentence?
femme au foyer is a fixed expression and does not change its internal structure. It is used as a noun phrase.
Did you know?
- The term foyer used in femme au foyer refers to the 'hearth', which stems from the Latin word focus.
- While femme au foyer is used for a housewife, the word foyer is also used in French to describe a community center or a youth hostel.
- If you were to describe someone as a maîtresse, you are using the same root as the word 'master', implying a sense of control or expertise.
Examples in context
- Je suis femme au foyer.I am a housewife.This sentence is useful for stating your occupation using femme au foyer.Tatoeba #6360 by TRANG, translation #258443 by brauliobezerra
- Je détesterais devenir juste une femme au foyer.I would hate to become just a housewife.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling about the role of a femme au foyer.Tatoeba #5461571 by Aiji, translation #40876 by CK
- « George ? » dit la femme au foyer. « Qui est George ? »"George?" said the housewife. "Who's George?"This sentence is useful for identifying a person as a femme au foyer in a narrative.Tatoeba #132157 by kurisutofu, translation #73890 by CP
- Marie est une femme au foyer dévouée et talentueuse.Marie is a dedicated and talented housewife.
- Les ménagères d'antan étaient expertes en gestion domestique.Housewives of the past were experts in domestic management.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing their career choices over coffee.
- LucasEst-ce que tu veux être femme au foyer ?Do you want to be a housewife?
- EmmaNon, je préfère travailler à l'extérieur.No, I prefer working outside.
- LucasMa mère est une femme au foyer épanouie.My mother is a fulfilled housewife.
- EmmaC'est un choix de vie respectable.It is a respectable lifestyle choice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “housewife” translations and entries femme au foyer, maîtresse de maison, mère au foyer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, femme, foyer, maison, maîtresse, mère, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
