French course

Lesson 49 of 240

New here? This is lesson 49 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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My family in French

Odile wipes the counter at Café des Tilleuls and asks Sam who is in his family. Gaspard starts to talk about a brother, then a croissant takes over.

You will ask about brothers, sisters, and children, say you are an only child, and say how many people you are.

Keep it short. Jobs and ages can wait.

By the end of this lesson

Say who is in your family and how many.

  • Tu as des frères et sœurs ?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  • Je suis enfant unique.I'm an only child
  • J'ai un frère.I have a brother
  • On est quatre.There are four of us
  • C'est ma mère.This is my mother
  • Tu as des enfants ?Do you have children?

Scene — the counter

Same café, later in the week. Odile wipes the zinc counter. Sam is at his usual table.

Gaspard sits on two chairs by the window table, croissant in reach, café crème untouched. The blank brass sign still stands on the empty window table.

Wide morning interior of Café des Tilleuls with Odile wiping the zinc, Sam standing with a backpack on, and Gaspard sitting on two chairs beside the window table.

Learn — who is in your family

Six short lines cover siblings, an only child, a brother, how many you are, a mother, and children.

Learn each as one piece.

  1. Medium two-shot of Odile at the zinc with a cloth paused, turning toward Sam as if asking about brothers or sisters.

    Tu as des frères et sœurs ?

    Do you have any brothers or sisters?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if they have brothers or sisters.

    Learn it as one piece for brothers and sisters.

    Say it: The last s in sœurs is silent.

  2. Close-up of Sam at the counter with one hand on the chest, looking toward Odile.

    Je suis enfant unique.

    I'm an only child

    When to use it: Say this when you have no brothers or sisters.

    Learn it as one piece for an only child.

    Say it: The last t in enfant is silent.

  3. High angle of Gaspard on two chairs by the window, one hand lifted, with an untouched milky coffee and a croissant on the table.

    J'ai un frère.

    I have a brother

    When to use it: Say this when you have one brother.

    Learn it as one piece to name a brother.

    Say it: The un before frère is a nasal sound.

  4. Low angle of Odile at the zinc with both arms open in a gathering gesture while Sam watches.

    On est quatre.

    There are four of us

    When to use it: Say this to tell how many people you are.

    Learn it as one piece for a group of four.

    Say it: The n in On links into est.

  5. Close-up of Sam holding out a phone across the zinc toward Odile, with a picture on the screen.

    C'est ma mère.

    This is my mother

    When to use it: Say this when you show or name your mother.

    Learn it as one piece for my mother.

  6. Over Sam's shoulder as Odile turns toward Gaspard, who looks down from two chairs at the croissant on his plate.

    Tu as des enfants ?

    Do you have children?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if they have children.

    Learn it as one piece to ask about children.

    Say it: In des enfants, the s of des links as z.

Story — a brother, then a croissant

Odile asks about family while she wipes the counter. Gaspard starts on a brother, then a croissant.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Odile wipes the zinc counter. The window table stays empty.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour.Hello.
  4. OdileTu as des frères et sœurs ?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  5. SamJe suis enfant unique.I'm an only child.
  6. Gaspard looks up from the next table, croissant in his hand.
  7. GaspardJ'ai un frère.I have a brother.
  8. He takes a photo from a pocket.
  9. GaspardC'est ma mère.This is my mother.
  10. OdileTu as des enfants ?Do you have children?
  11. GaspardOn est quatre.There are four of us.
  12. He looks at the croissant. The rest of the story waits.

Practice — who and how many

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je suis enfant unique.Drop the English here
    J'ai un frère.Drop the English here
    On est quatre.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Odile asks if you have brothers or sisters. You do not.

  4. Fill the gap

    I have a brother

    J'ai un ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    On est quatre.

  6. Build the line

    Do you have children?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You show a photo of your mother.

    C'est ____ mère.

  8. Pick the reply

    Odile says:

    C'est qui ?

    Who's that?

    And you reply with:

  9. Which one doesn’t belong?

  10. True or false?

    This asks how you are.

  11. What do you say?

    You want to ask a friend if they have children.

Say it — say who

Now you're Sam at the counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. OdileTu as des frères et sœurs ?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  2. Sam (you)Tell her you have no brothers or sisters.

    Je suis enfant unique.

    I'm an only child

0 of 3 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Tu as des frères et sœurs ?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Je suis enfant unique.I'm an only child
J'ai un frère.I have a brother
On est quatre.There are four of us
C'est ma mère.This is my mother
Tu as des enfants ?Do you have children?
Next: lesson 50Wake up, sleep, and meals

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these family lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps family words ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards