French · People & Family

"Daughter" in French: fille

la fille

Say it: FEEfeminine · la fillenoun/fij/

Daughter in French is la fille, feminine, said FEE. Ma fille is my daughter. Fille also means girl in general, so context decides: ma fille is family, une fille may be any girl.

School talk

Ma fille entre en sixième cette année.
My daughter is starting collège (6e) this year.
Practice French out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce fille

Say it

FEE

/fij/

FEE. Ill e sounds like ee. Final e is light. Soft f. Do not add an English "yuh" unless speaking carefully with a tiny schwa.

"Daughter" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
la fillethe daughter / the girl

Family daughter or girl in general.

ma fillemy daughter

Clear family sense.

fille uniqueonly daughter

Family status.

belle-filledaughter-in-law / stepdaughter

Extended family; check context.

How to use fille in real life

  1. 1School talk

    Ma fille entre en sixième cette année.

    My daughter is starting collège (6e) this year.

    Ma fille for daughter.

  2. 2Introductions

    Je te présente ma fille, Inès.

    This is my daughter, Inès.

    Standard introduction.

  3. 3Phone home

    Ta fille a appelé : elle a oublié son carnet.

    Your daughter called: she forgot her notebook.

    Ta fille with tu.

Mistakes English speakers make with fille

Incorrect: Mon fille est là.

Correct: Ma fille est là.

Fille is feminine: ma fille.

Incorrect: Ma daughter s'appelle Léa.

Correct: Ma fille s'appelle Léa.

Use fille, not English daughter.

Good to know

Because fille means girl, French often clarifies with ma fille, sa fille, or notre fille for daughter. Petite fille is granddaughter — not a small daughter (that would be ma petite fille in affectionate speech, so listen for context).

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

At a school fair

  1. ChatPal

    C'est ta fille qui chante sur scène ?

    Is that your daughter singing on stage?

  2. You

    Oui, ma fille répète depuis des semaines.

    Yes, my daughter has been rehearsing for weeks.

  3. ChatPal

    Elle a une belle voix, ta fille.

    Your daughter has a lovely voice.

  4. You

    Merci, elle va être contente.

    Thanks; she'll be pleased.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Daughter" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Daughter" in French

How do I say my daughter?

Ma fille.

Does fille always mean daughter?

No. Fille also means girl. Ma fille is the clear daughter phrase.

What is petite fille?

Usually granddaughter. Context matters.

How do you pronounce fille?

FEE, with ill like ee.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in French. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.