fils à papa
/fi.s‿a pa.pa/masculine
The English phrase "rich kid" can be translated into French using fils à papa. Wiktionary also lists gosse de riche.
Meaning: child or young adult from a wealthy family (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fils à papa | /fi.s‿a pa.pa/ | masculine |
| gosse de riche | /ɡɔs də ʁiʃ/ | feminine, masculine |
These terms are used to describe a child or young adult from a wealthy family.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fils à papa literally translates to "son to daddy".
Which one should you use?
Gosse de riche is a more colloquial and blunt way to describe a child of wealth. In contrast, fils à papa focuses on the relationship with the father and carries a stronger connotation of being spoiled or overprotected by one's father.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form fils à papa can be changed to the feminine fille à papa to refer to a girl or young woman. The term gosse de riche can be used for both masculine and feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of fils à papa is /fi.s‿a pa.pa/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word gosse is a common slang term for 'kid' in France, but in Quebec, Canada, it is a vulgar term for 'testicle'.
- While fils à papa sounds much like a term of endearment in English, in French it is almost always used pejoratively to imply the person is spoiled.
- In the term fils à papa, the 's' in fils is usually silent, but if you pause after the word, an older or more formal pronunciation might include it.
Examples in context
- Tom est un gosse de riche.Tom's a rich kid.This sentence uses gosse de riche.Tatoeba #1692706 by Scott, translation #3232669 by _undertoad
- Ce gosse de riche ne sait même pas ce que ça fait de travailler pour gagner de l'argent.This rich kid doesn't even know what it's like to work for money.
- Il se comporte comme un fils à papa.He behaves like a rich kid.
- Ce petit fils à papa ne connaît rien aux problèmes.This little rich kid knows nothing about problems.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are discussing a classmate at school.
- HugoTu as vu sa nouvelle voiture ?Did you see his new car?
- EmmaOui, c'est vraiment un fils à papa.Yes, he is truly a rich kid.
- HugoIl ne travaille jamais.He never works.
- EmmaC'est typique de sa part.That is typical of him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rich kid” translations and entries fils à papa, gosse de riche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, fils, gosse, papa, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
