la
/na.na/
Translation
girl, woman (informal)
Word origin
Everyday spoken French for a girl or a woman, and the counterpart of mec for a man. It is casual rather than rude, but it belongs to friends and family talk, not to a job interview. The origin is disputed.
- Origin
- French
Other proposed origins
- Most often traced to a nursery reduplication of the name Anna, of the same kind that gives nounou and mémé. (Anna)
- Some accounts credit the popularity of the word to Zola's 1880 novel Nana, whose heroine gave the name a general sense of young woman. (Nana)
Grammar
Examples
.
He came to the party with his girlfriend.
' l' .
A woman asked me the time outside the station.
l' tournoi.
The women in the team won the tournament.
C' .
She is a really nice girl.
.
She invited three girls from her dance class.
Where this fits
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nana: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "nana" (girl, woman (informal)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 33.