ma petite fille
The English phrase "my baby girl" can be translated into French as ma petite fille.
In French, ma petite fille is more commonly used to mean "my little girl" (referring to age/size) than to mean "my granddaughter", which is more strictly ma petite-fille.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern France, the term Ma pitchounette is used to convey endearment towards a young girl.
Did you know?
- In French, the word fille can be used on its own to mean a 'prostitute'. This is a shortened version of euphemisms like fille de joie, meaning 'girl of joy'.
- While English uses 'baby' as a generic term of endearment for a daughter, French often relies on the adjective petite to signal the same emotional warmth and protection.
Example conversation
Hugo is showing a photo of his daughter to Emma.
- HugoRegarde, c'est ma petite fille.Look, this is my baby girl.
- EmmaOh, elle est vraiment mignonne !Oh, she is really cute!
- HugoOui, ma petite fille me ressemble beaucoup.Yes, my baby girl looks a lot like me.
- EmmaC'est vrai, vous avez les mêmes yeux.That's true, you have the same eyes.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, ma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
