grands-parents
grands-parents in 30 Sekunden
- The parents of your parents.
- Always written with a hyphen.
- Grammatically masculine plural.
- Includes grand-père and grand-mère.
J'aime beaucoup mes grands-parents.
- Grammar Rule
- Both words in the compound noun take an 's' in the plural form.
Ils visitent leurs grands-parents.
- Pronunciation
- The 's' in grands is silent unless followed by a vowel, but here it is silent.
Mes grands-parents habitent ici.
Voici la maison de mes grands-parents.
- Usage
- Use possessive adjectives like mes, tes, ses before the noun.
Je téléphone à mes grands-parents.
Où sont tes grands-parents?
- Agreement
- Adjectives modifying grands-parents must also be in the plural form.
Nos grands-parents arrivent demain.
- Syntax
- Place the noun after the verb when it is the object of the sentence.
Je vais chez mes grands-parents.
Leurs grands-parents sont formidables.
- Context
- Use this term in both formal and informal settings.
C'est un cadeau pour mes grands-parents.
Je dîne avec mes grands-parents.
- Media
- Frequently heard in family-oriented movies and TV shows.
Les grands-parents sont importants.
- Literature
- Commonly found in novels discussing family history.
Il écrit à ses grands-parents.
Elle aime ses grands-parents.
- Daily Life
- Used when talking about family visits and relationships.
Nous aimons nos grands-parents.
Mes grands-parents sont partis.
- Spelling
- Never forget the hyphen between the two words.
Ce sont mes grands-parents.
- Pluralization
- Both words need an 's' at the end.
Je vois mes grands-parents.
Voici mes grands-parents.
- Gender
- The compound noun is grammatically masculine plural.
Mes grands-parents sont sympas.
Mes grands-parents m'aiment.
- Informal Terms
- Papi and mamie are very common in spoken French.
Je parle à mes grands-parents.
- Ancestry
- Use aïeux or ancêtres for generations further back.
Mes grands-parents voyagent beaucoup.
J'écoute mes grands-parents.
- Individual Terms
- Grand-père and grand-mère are the singular components.
Mes grands-parents sont adorables.
How Formal Is It?
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Wichtige Grammatik
Plural of compound nouns
Possessive adjectives (mes, tes, ses)
Adjective agreement in the plural
Preposition 'chez'
Passé composé for recounting memories
Beispiele nach Niveau
Mes grands-parents habitent à Paris.
My grandparents live in Paris.
Use 'mes' for plural possession.
J'aime mes grands-parents.
I love my grandparents.
Direct object placement.
Voici mes grands-parents.
Here are my grandparents.
'Voici' introduces people.
Mes grands-parents sont gentils.
My grandparents are kind.
Adjective agreement (masculine plural).
Je vois mes grands-parents le dimanche.
I see my grandparents on Sundays.
Days of the week with 'le' indicate habit.
Ils sont mes grands-parents.
They are my grandparents.
Subject pronoun 'Ils'.
Où sont tes grands-parents ?
Where are your grandparents?
Question formation with 'Où'.
Mes grands-parents ont un chien.
My grandparents have a dog.
Verb 'avoir' in the plural.
J'ai visité mes grands-parents hier.
I visited my grandparents yesterday.
Passé composé.
Mes grands-parents étaient professeurs.
My grandparents were teachers.
Imparfait for past professions.
Nous allons chez nos grands-parents.
We are going to our grandparents' house.
Preposition 'chez'.
Mes grands-parents m'ont donné un cadeau.
My grandparents gave me a gift.
Indirect object pronoun 'm''.
Je téléphone souvent à mes grands-parents.
I often call my grandparents.
Verb 'téléphoner à'.
Mes grands-parents aiment voyager.
My grandparents like to travel.
Verb followed by infinitive.
C'est la maison de mes grands-parents.
It is my grandparents' house.
Possession with 'de'.
Mes grands-parents lisent beaucoup.
My grandparents read a lot.
Present tense of 'lire'.
Je pense que les grands-parents sont importants pour les enfants.
I think grandparents are important for children.
Expressing opinion with 'Je pense que'.
Quand j'étais petit, je passais mes étés chez mes grands-parents.
When I was little, I spent my summers at my grandparents'.
Imparfait for repeated past actions.
Mes grands-parents ont fêté leurs noces d'or.
My grandparents celebrated their golden anniversary.
Vocabulary for celebrations.
Il faut que je rende visite à mes grands-parents.
I must visit my grandparents.
Subjunctive after 'Il faut que'.
Mes grands-parents m'ont raconté l'histoire de notre famille.
My grandparents told me the history of our family.
Passé composé with object pronouns.
Les grands-parents gardent souvent leurs petits-enfants le mercredi.
Grandparents often babysit their grandchildren on Wednesdays.
Cultural context (no school on Wednesday afternoons in France).
Je suis très proche de mes grands-parents maternels.
I am very close to my maternal grandparents.
Adjective 'proche de'.
Mes grands-parents ont pris leur retraite il y a dix ans.
My grandparents retired ten years ago.
Expression 'prendre sa retraite'.
Le rôle des grands-parents a beaucoup évolué dans la société moderne.
The role of grandparents has evolved a lot in modern society.
Abstract societal discussion.
Bien qu'ils soient âgés, mes grands-parents sont très actifs.
Although they are old, my grandparents are very active.
Concession with 'Bien que' + subjunctive.
Les grands-parents transmettent le patrimoine culturel aux nouvelles générations.
Grandparents transmit cultural heritage to new generations.
Advanced vocabulary (patrimoine).
Il est essentiel que les liens entre les petits-enfants et les grands-parents soient maintenus.
It is essential that the ties between grandchildren and grandparents be maintained.
Passive voice in the subjunctive.
Mes grands-parents ont vécu la Seconde Guerre mondiale.
My grandparents lived through the Second World War.
Historical context.
La solidarité intergénérationnelle repose souvent sur les grands-parents.
Intergenerational solidarity often relies on grandparents.
Complex noun phrases.
Certains grands-parents obtiennent un droit de visite par voie légale.
Some grandparents obtain visitation rights legally.
Legal terminology.
Mes grands-parents se sont adaptés aux nouvelles technologies pour communiquer avec nous.
My grandparents adapted to new technologies to communicate with us.
Reflexive verbs in the past.
L'éloignement géographique fragilise parfois les relations avec les grands-parents.
Geographical distance sometimes weakens relationships with grandparents.
Sophisticated vocabulary (fragilise).
La figure des grands-parents est omniprésente dans la littérature autobiographique française.
The figure of grandparents is omnipresent in French autobiographical literature.
Literary analysis terminology.
Il incombe souvent aux grands-parents de pallier les carences du système de garde d'enfants.
It often falls to grandparents to compensate for the shortcomings of the childcare system.
Formal verb 'incomber'.
Les grands-parents constituent un pilier affectif inébranlable au sein de la cellule familiale.
Grandparents constitute an unshakeable emotional pillar within the family unit.
Advanced metaphorical language.
Le vieillissement démographique soulève de nouvelles questions quant à la prise en charge des grands-parents.
Demographic aging raises new questions regarding the care of grandparents.
Socio-economic vocabulary.
C'est auprès de ses grands-parents qu'il a puisé son amour pour la terre.
It is from his grandparents that he drew his love for the land.
Cleft sentence for emphasis.
Les grands-parents d'aujourd'hui s'inscrivent en faux contre les stéréotypes de la vieillesse.
Today's grandparents strongly challenge the stereotypes of old age.
Idiomatic expression 's'inscrire en faux'.
La transmission mémorielle opérée par les grands-parents est inestimable.
The memory transmission carried out by grandparents is invaluable.
Nominalization (transmission mémorielle).
L'archétype des grands-parents dans l'inconscient collectif transcende les clivages sociaux.
The archetype of grandparents in the collective unconscious transcends social divides.
Psychoanalytical and sociological vocabulary.
L'évolution de la jurisprudence témoigne d'une reconnaissance accrue des prérogatives des grands-parents.
The evolution of jurisprudence shows an increased recognition of grandparents' prerogatives.
Advanced legal terminology.
Dans son œuvre, l'auteur dresse un portrait en demi-teinte de ses grands-parents, oscillant entre tendresse et rancœur.
In his work, the author paints a nuanced portrait of his grandparents, oscillating between tenderness and resentment.
Literary critique vocabulary.
Les grands-parents, jadis figures d'autorité patriarcale, se muent aujourd'hui en confidents complices.
Grandparents, once figures of patriarchal authority, are transforming today into complicit confidants.
Literary phrasing ('jadis', 'se muent').
La déliquescence des liens familiaux traditionnels exacerbe la solitude de nombreux grands-parents.
The decay of traditional family ties exacerbates the loneliness of many grandparents.
Highly formal vocabulary (déliquescence).
C'est par le truchement de ses grands-parents qu'elle a appréhendé la complexité de ses origines.
It is through the agency of her grandparents that she grasped the complexity of her origins.
Rare prepositional phrase 'par le truchement de'.
Les politiques publiques peinent à endiguer la précarisation d'une frange non négligeable de grands-parents.
Public policies struggle to stem the increasing precariousness of a significant fraction of grandparents.
Political and economic discourse.
L'imago des grands-parents cristallise les aspirations à une pérennité illusoire.
The imago of the grandparents crystallizes aspirations for an illusory permanence.
Philosophical and psychological terms.
Synonyme
Gegenteile
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Wird oft verwechselt mit
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
Leicht verwechselbar
Satzmuster
So verwendest du es
A neutral, descriptive term suitable for all situations.
High
Standard
- Writing 'grand-parents' without the 's' on 'grand'.
- Forgetting the hyphen: 'grands parents'.
- Using feminine adjectives to describe them (e.g., 'mes grands-parents sont vieilles').
- Pronouncing the 's' in 'grands'.
- Using a singular possessive adjective like 'mon grands-parents'.
Tipps
Don't forget the 's'
Always put an 's' on both 'grand' and 'parent'. It is a common mistake to write 'grand-parents'. Both parts must be plural.
The Hyphen is Key
The hyphen connects the two words. Without it, the word is misspelled. Always write 'grands-parents'.
Silent Letters
The 's' at the end of 'grands' and 'parents' are silent. Focus on the nasal sounds 'an' and 'en'.
Masculine Plural Adjectives
Because the group includes a grandfather, the noun is masculine plural. Use adjectives like 'beaux' or 'vieux', not 'belles' or 'vieilles'.
Learn the Singulars
Remember that the singular forms are 'grand-père' and 'grand-mère'. The adjective 'grand' does not take an 'e' in 'grand-mère'.
Wednesday Afternoons
In France, kids often don't have school on Wednesday afternoons. Grandparents frequently babysit during this time.
Papi and Mamie
To sound more native in casual conversation, refer to your own grandparents as 'mon papi' and 'ma mamie'.
Possessive Adjectives
Always use 'mes', 'tes', 'ses', 'nos', 'vos', or 'leurs' before this word. Never use singular possessives.
Formal Writing
In essays or formal letters, always use 'grands-parents'. Avoid affectionate terms in professional contexts.
Liaison Alert
Listen for the liaison when a plural article precedes it: 'les (z) grands-parents' or 'mes (z) grands-parents'.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'grand' as 'great' and 'parents' as 'parents'. Great-parents = grandparents.
Wortherkunft
Latin
Kultureller Kontext
Use 'grands-parents' in general conversation, but 'papi' and 'mamie' when speaking directly to them.
In some regions or older generations, 'pépé' and 'mémé' are still used.
The role of grandparents has shifted from strict authority figures to more affectionate caregivers in recent decades.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Gesprächseinstiege
"Où habitent tes grands-parents ?"
"À quelle fréquence vois-tu tes grands-parents ?"
"Quels sont tes meilleurs souvenirs avec tes grands-parents ?"
"Est-ce que tes grands-parents cuisinent bien ?"
"Comment s'appellent tes grands-parents ?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Décrivez vos grands-parents.
Racontez un souvenir d'enfance avec vos grands-parents.
Quelle est l'importance des grands-parents dans votre culture ?
Écrivez une lettre à vos grands-parents.
Comparez la vie de vos grands-parents avec la vôtre.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, the hyphen is mandatory in French compound nouns like this one. Writing it without a hyphen is a spelling mistake. Always write 'grands-parents'. It connects the adjective to the noun. It shows they function as a single concept.
The word 'grands-parents' is grammatically masculine plural. In French, when a group includes both males and females, the masculine form prevails. Therefore, any adjectives you use to describe them must be in the masculine plural form. For example, say 'Ils sont vieux'.
In French compound nouns formed by an adjective and a noun, both parts usually take the plural marker. Since 'parents' is plural, the adjective 'grand' must also be pluralized to 'grands'. This ensures grammatical agreement within the word itself. It is a strict rule.
You do not pronounce the 's' in 'grands' in this word. The pronunciation is /ɡʁɑ̃.pa.ʁɑ̃/. The 's' is silent, just like the 's' at the end of 'parents'. You only hear the nasal vowels.
No, 'grands-parents' refers to the couple or the plural concept. If you want to talk only about your grandmother, you must use the word 'grand-mère'. If you mean your grandfather, use 'grand-père'. Use 'grands-parents' only when referring to more than one.
Because the word is plural, you must use plural possessive adjectives. Use 'mes' for my, 'tes' for your (informal), 'ses' for his/her, 'nos' for our, 'vos' for your (formal/plural), and 'leurs' for their. Never use 'mon' or 'ma' with this word.
Yes, 'papi' and 'mamie' mean grandpa and grandma. They are the informal, affectionate terms for grandparents. 'Grands-parents' is the standard, formal term. You use 'papi et mamie' with family, and 'grands-parents' with strangers or in writing.
To say great-grandparents, you add the prefix 'arrière-'. The word is 'arrière-grands-parents'. Notice that it has two hyphens. It follows the same pluralization rules as 'grands-parents'.
Traditionally, no. Most French grandparents live independently in their own homes or apartments. However, they often live close by and are very involved in family life. Multigenerational households are less common in France than in some other cultures.
It is Grandmother's Day in France. It is celebrated on the first Sunday of March. There is no official 'Grandparents' Day' that is widely celebrated, but Grandmother's Day is very popular. Grandfather's Day exists in October but is less known.
Teste dich selbst 200 Fragen
Write a sentence saying you love your grandparents.
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Write a sentence saying where your grandparents live.
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Write a sentence describing your grandparents.
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Translate: My grandparents are kind.
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Translate: I visit my grandparents.
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Write a sentence using 'chez mes grands-parents'.
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Translate: Where are your grandparents?
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Write a sentence using 'papi et mamie'.
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Translate: Their grandparents are old.
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Write a sentence about what your grandparents like to do.
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Translate: Here are my grandparents.
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Write a sentence using the passé composé about your grandparents.
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Translate: Our grandparents have a dog.
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Write a sentence using 'arrière-grands-parents'.
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Translate: I call my grandparents.
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Write a sentence about your grandparents' house.
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Translate: My grandparents travel a lot.
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Write a sentence using 'les grands-parents maternels'.
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Translate: I am close to my grandparents.
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Write a short paragraph about your grandparents.
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Summary
Grands-parents is a compound, masculine plural noun meaning grandparents. Example: Mes grands-parents sont très gentils (My grandparents are very kind).
- The parents of your parents.
- Always written with a hyphen.
- Grammatically masculine plural.
- Includes grand-père and grand-mère.
Don't forget the 's'
Always put an 's' on both 'grand' and 'parent'. It is a common mistake to write 'grand-parents'. Both parts must be plural.
The Hyphen is Key
The hyphen connects the two words. Without it, the word is misspelled. Always write 'grands-parents'.
Silent Letters
The 's' at the end of 'grands' and 'parents' are silent. Focus on the nasal sounds 'an' and 'en'.
Masculine Plural Adjectives
Because the group includes a grandfather, the noun is masculine plural. Use adjectives like 'beaux' or 'vieux', not 'belles' or 'vieilles'.
Beispiel
Mes grands-parents habitent à la campagne.
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