gendre
/ʒɑ̃dʁ/masculine
The English phrase "son-in-law" is translated into French as gendre or beau-fils.
Meaning: son-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gendre | /ʒɑ̃dʁ/ | masculine |
| beau-fils | /bo.fis/ | masculine |
Which one should you use?
The term beau-fils is ambiguous because it can mean both "son-in-law" and "stepson" depending on the context. In contrast, gendre is the specific term used to denote a "son-in-law".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
gendre is a standard, everyday term for a son-in-law.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒɑ̃dʁ/
Did you know?
- The word gendre is a linguistic relative of the English word 'gender', as both derive from the Latin 'genus', meaning 'kind' or 'family'.
- The word beau in beau-fils literally means 'handsome', making the term 'handsome son' on a surface level.
- The phrase beau-fils is part of a wider family of 'beau' terms, including beau-père for father-in-law and belle-mère for mother-in-law.
Examples in context
- Son gendre est médecin.Her son-in-law is a doctor.
- Mon beau-fils est très attentionné.My son-in-law is very considerate.
- Je te présente mon gendre, Pierre.Let me introduce you to my son-in-law, Pierre.
- Mon fils et mon beau-fils sont de bons amis.My son and my son-in-law are good friends.
- Mon gendre est un excellent cuisinier.My son-in-law is an excellent cook.
- Est-ce que ton gendre habite ici ?Does your son-in-law live here?
- Nous cherchons un gendre pour notre fille.We are looking for a son-in-law for our daughter.
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are talking about their families at a cafe.
- LéaComment va ton gendre, Gabriel ?How is your son-in-law, Gabriel?
- GabrielIl va très bien, merci Léa.He is doing very well, thanks Léa.
- LéaC'est une bonne nouvelle.That is good news.
- GabrielOui, il est très heureux.Yes, he is very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son-in-law” translations and entries gendre, beau-fils, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beau-fils, gendre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
