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# folks

noun, plural (folks); singular folk (folk, folks)

«folks» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) Folks means people, especially ordinary people: «Folks round here are friendly». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#m1)
2. (informal) Your folks are your parents or family: «I'll ask my folks». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#m2)
3. (informal) Folks is a friendly word to talk to a group: «That's all, folks!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#m3)
4. Folk (adjective) describes traditional music, stories and dances of ordinary people, as in folk songs and folk tales. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#m4)

### In the lessons

Used in friendly speech, US and Canadian talk especially, in cartoons, by teachers and presenters addressing a group. Phrases: «my folks», «hi, folks», «old folks», «folk tale», «folk music».

### Examples

- Hi, folks, welcome to the show! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x1)
- I'll ask my folks if I can come to the sleepover. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x2)
- That's all, folks! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x3)
- Old folks love it when we sing at the care home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x4)
- The folks next door have a new puppy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x5)
- Okay, folks, line up quietly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x6)
- We read folk tales from Ireland and Ghana. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x7)
- My grandma's folks came from Scotland. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x8)
- I work for quite common folks,’ says his master. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/#x9)

### Note

Informal; in formal writing use «people» or «parents». «Folk» and «folks» both mean people; «folks» is more common in American English. The l is silent: say «fokes».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «folks» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folks/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«folks» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/folks.html) on Mova free.