Father’s Day in France

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

June 19th is father’s day in France. Here’s how to say Dad, stepdad and father in French, as well as sentences to wish happy father’s day in French.

You may know that ‘Papa’ is a French word. ‘Papa’ is used in English sometimes to say Dad. But what are the various ways of saying dad in French?

How Do You Say Dad in French?

The French word for ‘dad’ or ‘daddy’ is “papa”. ​
Watch out for the French pronunciation: the French ‘p’ is softer than in English and it’s the French vowel ‘a’ which is strong.
So “Papa” is likely to be the way you call your Daddy in French.

Maman, il est où Papa ?
Mom, where is Dad?

There’s no shorter version as in Pops… But particular family nicknames are possible.

What Is Father In French?

​’The father’ in French is “le père”.
Olivier est le père de Leyla.
Olivier is Leyla’s father.

You could use it to address your father just like some people do in English, but as in English, it’s very very formal and kind of distant… Not common at all.

Mastering French Numbers

Master All Numbers From 0 To 999 999 999! The most in-depth audiobook about French numbers anywhere

(31 Reviews)

More Details & Audio Samples

Other Ways To Say Father In French

​”Un daron” is slang for ‘father’. It’s too young for me to use but you’ll hear it in rap songs and pop culture. It can be a bit derogative…

You could also hear “Mon Paternel”… It’s modern French slang. It comes from the adjective : “paternel” which means ‘of/from my father’ or ‘on my father side’.
Ma famille paternelle est de Paris.
The father side of my family is from Paris.

What Is Step Father in French?

It would be “un beau-père”. Note that it’s the same word for ‘a father-in-law’ and translates literally in ‘beautiful father’… go figure!

What is Grandfather in French?

The French word for ‘a grandfather’ is “un grand père”. It’s common to also hear “un papy” and you could use both words to address your granddad as well.

Another common way to address your grandfather in French would be “Bon Papa” – it’s a bit upper class.

How To Wish Happy Father’s Day in French?

Father’s Day in French is “la fête des pères”. Father’s Day is on June 19th in France.

The most common way to say happy father’s Day in French would be:

  • Joyeuse fête Papa !
  • ​Bonne fête mon Papa chéri !

​As for me, my father died some years back but he is still very much alive in my heart. So to him, I’d like to say “Je te souhaite une excellente fête des pères mon papa que j’aime”.​​​​

More French family vocabulary in my free lesson. And here’s my lesson and Leyla’s cute videos about Mothers’ Day In France.

What about you? How do you call your Dad in your family / country?

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Born and raised in Paris, I have been teaching today's French to adults for 25+ years in the US and France. Based on my students' goals and needs, I've created unique downloadable French audiobooks focussing on French like it's spoken today, for all levels. Come to Paimpol and enjoy an exclusive French immersion homestay with me in Brittany.

More Articles from Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Comments

DOWNLOAD YOUR FRENCH AUDIOBOOK
🎁 2.5 Hours French Audiobook - 100% Free / Keep Forever 🎁

Recorded at 3 different speeds + Study Guide + Q&A + Full Transcript

Item added to cart.
0 items - US$0.00

Can You Understand Today’s Spoken French?

It’s not just slang. The French everybody speaks in France today is NOT the overly enunciated, extremely formal French usually taught to foreigners.

TAKE YOUR FREE AUDIO TEST NOW