Use of “femme” to mean “girlfriend”?

Question

Can *femme* mean *girlfriend*? I just saw a French comedy film in which the main character, a chef, used the term “*ma femme*” and it was always translated in the subtitles as “*my girlfriend*”. The two characters aren't married, though they live together and are expecting a child. They get engaged to be married during the film. So in this circumstance, can *femme* mean *girlfriend* as opposed to *petite amie* or *copine*? I would understand if this were like common-law wife in English, but in the movie, it is clear that they will marry in future.

Answer 1

Absolutely not, The words "ma femme" in French can only mean my wife and "ma petite copine" or "ma petite amie" can only mean girlfriend. My friend who happens to be female would be "ma copine" or "mon amie." There are no gray areas in these translations.

I would never rely on subtitles for accurate translations. Subtitles are often generated by translation software which is often erroneous or just plain terrible.

Hope this helps!