petit garçon
/pə.ti ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/masculine
The French phrase for little boy is petit garçon. If unsure, use petit garçon. Wiktionary also lists garçonnet and petit.
Meaning: a diminutive male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| petit garçon | /pə.ti ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/ | masculine |
| garçonnet | /ɡaʁ.sɔ.nɛ/ | masculine |
| petit | /pə.ti/ /p.ti/ |
masculine |
The phrase is used to describe a diminutive male child. You may also encounter informal terms like Bambin, used affectionately or Gamin, which refers to a boy who is lively or mischievous.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase petit garçon, the word petit functions as an adjective meaning small or young.
Which one should you use?
While petit garçon is the standard way to say little boy, garçonnet is a more literary or formal diminutive used to emphasize the smallness or youth of the child.
How do you pronounce it?
/pə.ti ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/
Did you know?
- In a French cafe, calling a waiter garçon is often considered outdated or rude. While it literally means 'boy', it is now seen as a condescending way to address staff.
- The word garçon shares a surprising history with the English word 'wretch'. Both stem from a Proto-Germanic root meaning 'an exile' or 'a driven one'.
- In French, using petit before a noun can sometimes be a way to soften a request or a criticism when speaking to a child.
Examples in context
- Le pauvre petit !Poor little boy!This sentence uses the adjective petit to express sympathy.Tatoeba #4705271 by thowas, translation #4705274 by thowas
- Le petit garçon joue.The little boy plays.This sentence uses petit to describe a boy who is playing.Tatoeba #3127519 by PERCE_NEIGE, translation #3128596 by brad
- Le petit garçon pleure.The little boy is crying.This sentence uses petit to describe a boy who is crying.Tatoeba #11701527 by lbdx, translation #8979504 by mccarras
- J'ai vu un petit garçon jouer au parc.I saw a little boy playing at the park.
- Attention à ce gamin , il ne manque jamais une occasion de faire des bêtises.Be careful with that troublemaker, he never misses a chance to cause mischief.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are at a park watching children play.
- ManonRegarde ce petit garçon sur la balançoire.Look at that little boy on the swing.
- LucasIl a l'air très heureux.He looks very happy.
- ManonC'est le fils de ma voisine.He is my neighbor's son.
- LucasC'est un très mignon petit garçon.He is a very cute little boy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “little boy” translations and entries petit garçon, garçonnet, petit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries garçon, garçonnet, petit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
