French · People & Family
"Wife" in French: femme
la femme
Wife in French is la femme in everyday speech: ma femme means my wife. Épouse is more formal or legal. Femme also means woman — context decides.
Dinner party
Je te présente ma femme, Nadia.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce femme
Say it
FAM
/fam/
Femme is FAM; the double m keeps a short a. Final e is silent.
"Wife" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la femme | the wife / the woman Spouse sense with mon/ma context. | Spouse sense with mon/ma context. |
| ma femme | my wife Talking about your spouse. | Talking about your spouse. |
| sa femme | his/her wife Sa before feminine nouns. | Sa before feminine nouns. |
| épouse | spouse / wife (formal) Forms and ceremonies. | Forms and ceremonies. |
How to use femme in real life
- 1Dinner party
Je te présente ma femme, Nadia.
I'd like you to meet my wife, Nadia.
Ma femme.
- 2Schedule
Ma femme rentre tard ce soir.
My wife is coming home late tonight.
Everyday.
- 3Story
Sa femme est médecin.
His wife is a doctor.
Sa femme.
Mistakes English speakers make with femme
Incorrect: Mon femme.
Correct: Ma femme.
Femme is feminine: ma.
Incorrect: Ma wife.
Correct: Ma femme.
Use femme, not English wife.
Good to know
Ma femme is still the most common spouse label in daily French. Some couples prefer ma partenaire or mon épouse in formal intros.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Airport pickup
ChatPal
Ma femme arrive du vol de midi.
My wife is arriving on the noon flight.
You
Je viens avec toi. Tu as une photo de ta femme ?
I'll come with you. Do you have a photo of your wife?
ChatPal
Oui, sur mon téléphone.
Yes, on my phone.
You
Parfait. On la trouve plus vite.
Perfect. We'll find her faster.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Wife" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Wife" in French
How do you say wife in French?
La femme (ma femme = my wife).
Doesn't femme mean woman?
Yes — context and possessives usually make the spouse meaning clear.
Femme or épouse?
Femme is everyday; épouse is formal.
How do you pronounce femme?
FAM.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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