Level: A1 (Beginner)
🎧 Audio by Marie Assel Cambier — native speaker & pro voice artist from France
The French Word of the Day is garçon, which means “boy.” It’s a must-know beginner word you’ll hear everywhere — and I’ll show you how to use it.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
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📘 Garçon meaning
In French, garçon means boy and is common in daily speech, often in phrases like petit garçon (little boy) or grand garçon (big boy). It once also meant waiter, but that use is now outdated.
🎧 Garçon pronunciation
Garçon is pronounced /ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/. It sounds like gar-sohng. The ç is a soft “s,” the French ʁ is a throaty “r,” and the on is a nasal vowel (don’t pronounce the n fully).
📝 French and English examples
Garçon – boy
Le garçon que tu vois là-bas est mon meilleur ami.
The boy you see over there is my best friend.
Les garçons jouent au rugby dans le parc.
The boys are playing rugby in the park.
Ce garçon est très gentil avec tous ses amis.
This boy is very kind to all his friends.
Quand j’étais petit, j’étais un garçon sportif.
When I was little, I was an athletic boy.
Excusez-moi, garçon ! Je peux avoir l’addition ?
Excuse me, waiter! Can I have the bill.
👉 Cultural note: In modern French, people usually say “Monsieur” instead of “garçon” when calling a waiter. Using garçon can sound old-fashioned or even rude today.
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- L’enfant (m/f) — The child
- Le fils (m) — The son
- Le/la gamin(e) — child (slang)
- Le petit/grand garçon — The big/little boy
- Le serveur (m) — The waiter
- Le garçon d’honneur (m) — The best man / groomsman
- Faire le garçon — To act boyish
🚀 Expand your French vocabulary!
Now that you’ve mastered garçon, check out my lesson covering fille, which translates to “girl” or “daughter”.
👉 Learn la fille here »
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