ma sœur est
In French, my sister is is translated as ma sœur est.
This phrase is used to introduce a description or a state of being regarding the speaker's sister. When using adjectives to describe her, such as intelligente, you must use the feminine form to match the noun sœur.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the possessive adjective ma (my), the noun sœur (sister) and the third-person singular form of the verb être (to be).
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive adjective ma is used because sœur is a feminine noun.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying mon sœur est. English speakers sometimes mistakenly use the masculine mon instead of the feminine ma when referring to sœur.
Did you know?
- In French culture, referring to a sister as ma sœur can also be a formal way to address a Catholic nun.
- The word sœur uses a special ligature character œ which merges the letters 'o' and 'e' into one glyph.
- The word est is quite unique in French because it is one of the very few words that preserves a silent internal 's' from its Latin roots, a feature nearly lost in other common words.
Examples in context
- Ma sœur est jolie.My sister is pretty.This sentence is useful for describing the appearance of your sister using ma sœur est.Tatoeba #822095 by Julien_PDC, translation #251899 by CK
- Ma sœur est belle.My sister is beautiful.Tatoeba #6010813 by sicerabibax, translation #7001865 by Darragh_jd
- Ma sœur est mariée.My sister is married.This sentence is useful for describing the marital status of your sister using ma sœur est.Tatoeba #7750 by sacredceltic, translation #250963 by CK
- Ma sœur est médecin.My sister is a doctor.
- Ma sœur est très persévérante et intelligente.My sister is very persevering and intelligent.
- J'adore ma sœurette, elle est super drôle.I love my sister, she is really funny.
- Ma sœurette est une vraie artiste.My sister is a true artist.
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are talking about their family during a coffee break.
- HugoMa sœur est très sympa.My sister is very nice.
- ChloéElle habite à Paris ?Does she live in Paris?
- HugoNon, ma sœur est à Lyon.No, my sister is in Lyon.
- ChloéAh, c'est une belle ville.Ah, it's a beautiful city.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries est, ma, sœur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
