mon père
In French, the phrase for "my dad" is mon père.
The phrase is used to refer to one's male parent.
What does it mean word for word?
The word mon is the masculine singular possessive adjective for "my", and père means "father".
Which one should you use?
Mon papa is a more affectionate, informal version similar to "my daddy", whereas mon papounet is an even more endearing and informal way to refer to your father.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Mon père is the formal and standard term, often used when speaking about one's father in a serious or respectful context. For more informal and affectionate situations, you can use mon papa or the endearing mon papounet. Among teenagers and younger generations, the slang term mon daron is frequently used.
Did you know?
- The slang term daron for father actually comes from the word daronne, which originally referred to a woman of a certain age or a 'boss' in a street context.
- The word mon was likely influenced by the Gaulish word mon, showing that the language of the ancient Celts left a mark on basic French possessives.
- While English speakers often use 'dad' and 'father' interchangeably, calling your father mon père in a casual setting might make you sound like a character in a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- Tom est mon père.Tom is my dad.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a father.Tatoeba #2354931 by Amastan, translation #2273298 by CK
- Mon père me tuera.My dad will kill me.This sentence illustrates a dramatic use of the phrase.Tatoeba #1978634 by sacredceltic, translation #1977711 by Spamster
- Mon père est occupé.My dad is busy.This sentence shows the phrase being used to describe a father's state of being.Tatoeba #332497 by sysko, translation #4787511 by Joseph
- Mon père est un homme très intelligent.My father is a very intelligent man.
- Je vais chez mon papa ce week-end.I'm going to my dad's place this weekend.
- J'ai un super cadeau pour mon papounet!I have a great gift for my dad!
- Mon daron adore la musique.My dad is crazy about music.
- Mon papounou est le meilleur du monde!My dad is the best in the world!
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Lea are talking about their families.
- LucasMon père travaille à Paris.My dad works in Paris.
- LéaAh bon ? Mon père aussi !Really? My dad too!
- LucasC'est génial pour mon père et le tien.That's great for my dad and yours.
- LéaOui, ils se connaissent peut-être.Yes, maybe they know each other.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mon, père, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
