ma famille
ma famille is the French way to say 'my family'.
ma famille refers to the group of people who are related to the speaker by blood or marriage. You can use ma famille proche to emphasize your immediate family, or ma famille élargie to refer to your extended family.
Which one should you use?
You might hear ma petite famille as an endearing way to refer to one's immediate family. In certain contexts, such as in Canada, the term ma gang is used to mean 'my family' or 'my crew'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Ma gang is a popular term in Canadian French.
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive adjective ma is used because famille is a feminine singular noun.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using mon famille, as famille is feminine. English speakers often mistakenly use the masculine mon instead of the feminine ma.
Did you know?
- In French, the word famille shares an ancient root with the word 'servant' or 'household member' from the Latin familia, which originally described everyone living under one roof regardless of blood relation.
- The phrase famille recomposée is the specific term for a blended family, literally meaning a 'recomposed' family.
- In formal French legal contexts, the concept of 'family' can be strictly defined by the livret de famille, a physical book that records the civil status of a family.
Examples in context
- Je hais ma famille.I hate my family.This sentence uses ma famille to express a feeling of hatred towards one's family.Tatoeba #11997328 by lbdx, translation #2681482 by iainmb93
- Ma famille est loin.My family is far away.This sentence uses ma famille to indicate that one's family is at a distance.Tatoeba #11662492 by Aiji, translation #4869750 by jarbv
- Ma famille me manque.I miss my family.This sentence uses ma famille to express that one misses their family.Tatoeba #6055106 by verdakoro, translation #2387238 by CK
- Ma famille est originaire de Paris.My family is originally from Paris.
- Je pars en vacances avec ma petite famille.I'm going on vacation with my little family.
- Je tiens beaucoup à mes proches.I hold my loved ones dear.
- 199 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about their upcoming holidays.
- EmmaJe vais voir ma famille en vacances.I am going to see my family on holiday.
- HugoEst-ce que ta famille habite ici ?Does your family live here?
- EmmaNon, ma famille est en Bretagne.No, my family is in Brittany.
- HugoC'est une très belle région.It is a very beautiful region.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries famille, ma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
