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How to Say ‘Tom's dad’ in French

Le papa de Tom

luh pa-PA duh tom

[luh pa-PA duh tom]

💬 Usage Tip: French has no 's for ownership, so it puts the owner last with de: le papa de Tom. For example, le sac de Léa "Léa's bag."

🇫🇷 In France: Adults really do say papa and maman at school. It sounds warm and natural there, not childish.

Phrase Breakdown

Le papa

luh pa-PA

The dad

'Papa' is the familiar word for dad. Say 'luh pa-PA', stressing the last syllable.

Example

Le papa arrive.

The dad is arriving.

Words in this phrase

Le

[luh]

the

Used as a function word to indicate a noun and to mark the noun as definite.

Example

Le chat noir.

The black cat.

papa

[pa-PA]

dad

Informal word for father, used often around school.

Example

Le papa de Léo arrive.

Léo's dad is coming.

de Tom

duh tom

of Tom (Tom's)

French uses 'de' to show possession: 'le papa de Tom' means 'Tom's dad'. Say 'duh tom'.

Example

Le sac de Tom.

Tom's bag.

Words in this phrase

de

[duh]

of

Expressing the relationship between part and a whole.

Example

Un verre de lait.

A glass of milk.

Tom

[tom]

Tom

A boy's first name.

Example

Tom joue dans la cour.

Tom is playing in the playground.

Related guides

French Conversation for Beginners: 6 Everyday Dialogues You'll Actually UseSix basic French conversations for beginners, from greeting a neighbour and introducing yourself to booking a restaurant, with translations, native audio and the phrases that keep them going.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

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