A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "I'm an only child" in French
Say 'Je suis enfant unique' to let people know you don't have any siblings in France.
Je suis enfant unique.
zhuh swee ahn-FAHN OO-neekneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when discussing family size, perhaps when asked about siblings or when explaining family dynamics. It's a straightforward way to state your situation.
Alternatives
- Je n'ai pas de frère ou de sœur.More descriptive, explicitly stating the absence of siblings.
- Je suis fils/fille unique.Use if you want to specify your gender as well.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'enfant'
The 'en' is a nasal vowel, and the 't' at the end is silent.
Gender agreement
While 'enfant' is masculine, 'unique' agrees with 'enfant' here, so it stays masculine. If you were to say 'Je suis fils unique', 'unique' would still be masculine.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say I have one brother or sister?
You would say 'J'ai un frère' for one brother or 'J'ai une sœur' for one sister. If you have multiple siblings, you'd say 'J'ai des frères et sœurs'.
Is it common to be an only child in France?
The number of only children has been increasing in France, though it's still less common than having multiple children. It's a perfectly normal situation.
What if I have half-siblings or step-siblings?
For half-siblings, you might say 'J'ai un demi-frère' or 'une demi-sœur'. For step-siblings, you could say 'J'ai un beau-frère' or 'une belle-sœur'.
