beau-père
/bo.pɛʁ/
The English phrase "step dad" is translated into French as beau-père.
beau-père refers to a man who is married to one's mother but is not one's biological father.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, beau-père translates to "handsome father" or "beautiful father".
Which one should you use?
The term beau-père is used for both a stepfather and a father-in-law.
How do you pronounce it?
/bo.pɛʁ/
Did you know?
- The term beau-père derives from the Middle French beau pere, combining 'handsome' and 'father' to create a term of respect for a man joined to the family by law.
- The same ambiguity applies to the female version, belle-mère, which means both 'stepmother' and 'mother-in-law'.
- In modern French, if you wish to specifically distinguish a stepfather from a father-in-law, you might use the more descriptive term père par alliance, meaning 'father by alliance'.
Examples in context
- Mon beau-père est très gentil.My step dad is very kind.
- Je vais voir mon beau-père ce week-end.I am going to see my step dad this weekend.
- Est-ce que ton beau-père habite ici ?Does your step dad live here?
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about their families at a cafe.
- GabrielTu vas voir ton beau-père demain ?Are you seeing your step dad tomorrow?
- EmmaOui, Gabriel, il vient dîner à la maison.Yes, Gabriel, he is coming to dinner at the house.
- GabrielC'est super pour toi.That is great for you.
- EmmaMerci, il est vraiment sympa.Thanks, he is really nice.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry beau-père, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beau-père, CC BY-SA 4.0.
