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petit frère / petite sœur (little brother / little sister)

Grammar & Usage

noun phrase

neutral

How it works

Formed by pairing the size adjective 'petit/petite' with the kinship nouns 'frère' or 'sœur'. The adjective precedes the noun according to standard French word-order rules for size adjectives and agrees in gender with the noun it modifies. While formally meaning 'small sibling', it is the standard colloquial way to designate a younger brother or sister.

Sample sentences

J'ai un petit frère et deux grandes sœurs.

I have a little brother and two older sisters.

Sa petite sœur va commencer l'école primaire cette année.

Her little sister is going to start elementary school this year.

En tant qu'aîné, il prend toujours soin de son petit frère.

As the eldest, he always takes care of his little brother.

Quick facts

pluralForms:petits frères, petites sœurs

genderAgreement:'petit frère' (masculine), 'petite sœur' (feminine)

formalEquivalent:frère cadet / sœur cadette

Often used with

mon petit frère

ma petite sœur

grand frère / grande sœur

frère cadet / sœur cadette

Mnemonic

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Example

J'ai un petit frère et deux grandes sœurs.

I have a little brother and two older sisters.

Sa petite sœur va commencer l'école primaire cette année.

Her little sister is going to start elementary school this year.