sous-fifre
/su.fifʁ/masculine
The English word "minion" can be translated into French as sous-fifre, séide or larbin.
Meaning: loyal servant of another more powerful being (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sous-fifre | /su.fifʁ/ | masculine |
| séide | /se.id/ | masculine |
| larbin | /laʁ.bɛ̃/ | masculine |
These terms describe a loyal servant of another more powerful being.
Which one should you use?
While sous-fifre is often used in a professional or hierarchical context, larbin is a much more insulting and derogatory term used to describe someone who behaves like a mindless servant.
How do you pronounce it?
The word sous-fifre is pronounced /su.fifʁ/ and has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The origin of séide can be traced back to the Arabic name Zayd.
- While 'minion' in English is often used playfully today due to popular animation, French terms like larbin remain strictly insulting.
- The term séide is often used in political or historical contexts to describe followers of religious or extremist leaders.
Examples in context
- Les minions sont de fidèles serviteurs de GruMinions are loyal servants of Gru
- Ce petit bonhomme jaune est mignon!This little yellow man is cute!
- Ce n'est qu'un pauvre sous-fifre.He is nothing but a poor minion.
- Le chef traite son sous-fifre très mal.The boss treats his minion very badly.
- Il agit comme un simple sous-fifre.He acts like a mere minion.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are discussing a corrupt boss at work.
- GabrielTon patron est un tyran.Your boss is a tyrant.
- ManonOui, et son assistant est un vrai sous-fifre.Yes, and his assistant is a real minion.
- GabrielIl lui obéit aveuglément.He obeys him blindly.
- ManonC'est vraiment triste à voir.It is really sad to see.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “minion” translations and entries sous-fifre, séide, larbin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries larbin, sous-fifre, séide, CC BY-SA 4.0.
