jeune fille
/ʒœn fij/feminine
The English phrase 'young lady' is translated into French as jeune fille.
jeune fille refers to an adolescent or a young female. While it can be translated as 'young lady', in modern French it is more frequently used to mean 'young girl'.
Meaning: an adolescent or young female (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use jeune femme instead of jeune fille if you are referring to an adult woman rather than an adolescent.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form is jeunes filles, where both the adjective and the noun take an 's'.
Did you know?
- The word fille can be used on its own as a slang term for a prostitute, shortened from phrases like fille de joie or 'girl of joy'.
- In a professional or formal setting, addressing a young woman as mademoiselle is increasingly avoided in official French administration in favor of madame.
- The term jeune fille is frequently paired with the adjective sage to mean 'well-behaved'. A jeune fille sage is not necessarily a wise young lady, but one who is obedient.
Examples in context
- C'est une belle jeune fille.She's a fine young lady.This sentence is useful for describing a fine young lady using jeune fille.Tatoeba #1908381 by sacredceltic, translation #1879080 by Spamster
- Ne soyez pas effrontée avec moi, jeune fille !Don't get sassy with me young lady!This sentence is useful for a reprimand addressed to a jeune fille.Tatoeba #817861 by sacredceltic, translation #601987 by darinmex
- Je suppose que tu as beaucoup changé. J'imagine quelle belle jeune fille tu as dû devenir…I guess you have changed a lot. I imagine what kind of beautiful young lady you've become…This sentence is useful for noting how much someone has changed and become a beautiful jeune fille.Tatoeba #688051 by nimfeo, translation #685821 by ver
- Bonjour, Mademoiselle Dupont. Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?Hello, Miss Dupont. How are you today?
Example conversation
A grandfather is talking to his granddaughter in a park.
- NathanTu es une très sage jeune fille, Chloé.You are a very wise young lady, Chloé.
- ChloéMerci, grand-père !Thank you, grandfather!
- NathanCette jeune fille grandit trop vite.This young lady is growing up too fast.
- ChloéC'est vrai, je ne suis plus un bébé.It's true, I am not a baby anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “young lady” translations and entries jeune fille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fille, jeune, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
