tout-petit
/tu.p(ə).ti/
The French word for toddler is tout-petit.
The term tout-petit is used to refer to a toddler. la petite enfance is the formal term used to describe the developmental stage of toddlers and young children to mean early childhood.
Meaning: young child who has started walking but not fully mastered it (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term tout-petit literally translates to very small.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form used for a group of toddlers is tout-petits.
How do you pronounce it?
/tu.p(ə).ti/
Did you know?
- French parents often use the affectionate diminutive petit bout de chou, meaning 'little piece of cabbage', to refer to their tout-petit.
- When describing a toddler's behavior, a French speaker might use the word période de l'opposition to refer to the 'terrible twos', a more clinical way to describe the phase.
- In France, the period of la petite enfance is legally integrated into the education system through les écoles maternelles, which children can attend as early as age three.
Examples in context
- Mon bambin commence à parler de plus en plus.My toddler is starting to speak more and more.
- Mon bébé a déjà deux ans!My toddler is already two years old!
- Je suis avec mon tout-petit aujourd'hui.I am with my toddler today.
- Viens, mon petit bambinou!Come here, my little bambinou!
- Le tout-petit marche avec difficulté.The toddler walks with difficulty.
- Elle surveille son tout-petit dans le parc.She is watching her toddler in the park.
- Ce tout-petit est très curieux.This toddler is very curious.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are talking about Manon's son.
- HugoComment va ton fils ?How is your son doing?
- ManonC'est un tout-petit très actif maintenant.He is a very active toddler now.
- HugoEst-ce qu'il marche déjà ?Is he walking already?
- ManonOui, il court partout dans la maison.Yes, he runs everywhere in the house.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tout-petit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
