ma belle petite-fille
The phrase 'my beautiful granddaughter' in French is ma belle petite-fille.
This phrase is used to describe a female grandchild who is physically or spiritually attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ma (my), belle (beautiful) and petite-fille (literally 'little-daughter', which is the word for granddaughter).
Which one should you use?
While belle implies a deeper or more striking beauty, using jolie in the phrase ma jolie petite-fille results in the meaning 'my pretty granddaughter'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you may encounter the colloquial variations ma belle p'tite-fille or ma belle pt'ite-fille.
Did you know?
- In French, the word belle is used in the terms for step-family members, such as belle-mère for step-mother or mother-in-law. This creates a linguistic link between beauty and kinship by marriage.
- While petite-fille translates to 'little-daughter', the 'petite' part refers to the generation rather than the physical size of the girl.
- While petite-fille means granddaughter, the word petite can be used as a term of endearment on its own. A grandparent might call their granddaughter ma petite as a shorthand for 'my little one'.
Examples in context
- Ma belle petite-fille a grandi très vite.My beautiful granddaughter has grown up very fast.
- Regarde ma belle petite-fille sur cette photo.Look at my beautiful granddaughter in this photo.
Example conversation
Hugo is visiting Chloé and sees a photo on the table.
- ChloéC'est une photo de ma belle petite-fille.This is a photo of my beautiful granddaughter.
- HugoElle est vraiment adorable, Chloé.She is truly adorable, Chloé.
- ChloéOui, ma belle petite-fille me ressemble beaucoup.Yes, my beautiful granddaughter looks a lot like me.
- HugoC'est vrai, vous avez les mêmes yeux.That's true, you have the same eyes.
