👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Members

⏱ 6 min read

In this section you'll learn essential English family vocabulary and how to talk about your relatives in everyday conversations. Each English word includes translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

🟢 Immediate Family

👨 Father

🇪🇸 Spanish: Padre
🇫🇷 French: Père
🇩🇪 German: Vater
🇮🇹 Italian: Padre
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pai

👩 Mother

🇪🇸 Spanish: Madre
🇫🇷 French: Mère
🇩🇪 German: Mutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Madre
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Mãe

👦 Son

🇪🇸 Spanish: Hijo
🇫🇷 French: Fils
🇩🇪 German: Sohn
🇮🇹 Italian: Figlio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Filho

👧 Daughter

🇪🇸 Spanish: Hija
🇫🇷 French: Fille
🇩🇪 German: Tochter
🇮🇹 Italian: Figlia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Filha

🧑 Brother

🇪🇸 Spanish: Hermano
🇫🇷 French: Frère
🇩🇪 German: Bruder
🇮🇹 Italian: Fratello
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Irmão

👩 Sister

🇪🇸 Spanish: Hermana
🇫🇷 French: Sœur
🇩🇪 German: Schwester
🇮🇹 Italian: Sorella
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Irmã

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents

🇪🇸 Spanish: Padres
🇫🇷 French: Parents
🇩🇪 German: Eltern
🇮🇹 Italian: Genitori
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pais

❤️ Family

🇪🇸 Spanish: Familia
🇫🇷 French: Famille
🇩🇪 German: Familie
🇮🇹 Italian: Famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Família

🟡 Extended Family

👴 Grandfather

🇪🇸 Spanish: Abuelo
🇫🇷 French: Grand-père
🇩🇪 German: Großvater
🇮🇹 Italian: Nonno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Avô

👵 Grandmother

🇪🇸 Spanish: Abuela
🇫🇷 French: Grand-mère
🇩🇪 German: Großmutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Nonna
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Avó

👨 Uncle

🇪🇸 Spanish: Tío
🇫🇷 French: Oncle
🇩🇪 German: Onkel
🇮🇹 Italian: Zio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tio

👩 Aunt

🇪🇸 Spanish: Tía
🇫🇷 French: Tante
🇩🇪 German: Tante
🇮🇹 Italian: Zia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tia

👦 Cousin

🇪🇸 Spanish: Primo / Prima
🇫🇷 French: Cousin / Cousine
🇩🇪 German: Cousin / Cousine
🇮🇹 Italian: Cugino / Cugina
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Primo / Prima

👶 Baby

🇪🇸 Spanish: Bebé
🇫🇷 French: Bébé
🇩🇪 German: Baby
🇮🇹 Italian: Bambino / Neonata
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bebê

🔴 Relationships

💍 Husband

🇪🇸 Spanish: Esposo
🇫🇷 French: Mari
🇩🇪 German: Ehemann
🇮🇹 Italian: Marito
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Marido

💖 Wife

🇪🇸 Spanish: Esposa
🇫🇷 French: Femme / Épouse
🇩🇪 German: Ehefrau
🇮🇹 Italian: Moglie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Esposa

❤️ Boyfriend

🇪🇸 Spanish: Novio
🇫🇷 French: Petit ami
🇩🇪 German: Freund
🇮🇹 Italian: Fidanzato
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Namorado

💕 Girlfriend

🇪🇸 Spanish: Novia
🇫🇷 French: Petite amie
🇩🇪 German: Freundin
🇮🇹 Italian: Fidanzata
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Namorada

👕 Helpful Tip

Unlike some languages, English family words usually do not change for masculine or feminine forms. Each family member has a separate word to describe the relationship.

Brother    Sister

Son    Daughter

Uncle    Aunt

Grandfather    Grandmother

Beginner Tip: English does not change family words based on grammar. Instead, each relationship has its own word.

💬 Family Life

🍽️ Every Sunday we have lunch at my grandparents' house.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Todos los domingos almorzamos en casa de mis abuelos.
🇫🇷 French: Tous les dimanches, nous déjeunons chez mes grands-parents.
🇩🇪 German: Jeden Sonntag essen wir bei meinen Großeltern zu Mittag.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ogni domenica pranziamo a casa dei miei nonni.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Todos os domingos almoçamos na casa dos meus avós.

🎸 My brother plays the guitar in a band.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Mi hermano toca la guitarra en una banda.
🇫🇷 French: Mon frère joue de la guitare dans un groupe.
🇩🇪 German: Mein Bruder spielt Gitarre in einer Band.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mio fratello suona la chitarra in una band.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Meu irmão toca guitarra em uma banda.

🎂 My cousin always makes the birthday cake.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Mi prima siempre prepara el pastel de cumpleaños.
🇫🇷 French: Ma cousine prépare toujours le gâteau d'anniversaire.
🇩🇪 German: Meine Cousine macht immer den Geburtstagskuchen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mia cugina prepara sempre la torta di compleanno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Minha prima sempre faz o bolo de aniversário.

🚗 This summer we're going to travel with the whole family.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Este verano vamos a viajar con toda la familia.
🇫🇷 French: Cet été, nous allons voyager avec toute la famille.
🇩🇪 German: Diesen Sommer reisen wir mit der ganzen Familie.
🇮🇹 Italian: Quest'estate viaggeremo con tutta la famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Neste verão vamos viajar com toda a família.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Family dinner

A: Who made this cake?
B: My grandmother. She cooks very well.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Quién hizo este pastel?
🇪🇸 B: Mi abuela. Ella cocina muy bien.

🇫🇷 A: Qui a fait ce gâteau ?
🇫🇷 B: Ma grand-mère. Elle cuisine très bien.

🇩🇪 A: Wer hat diesen Kuchen gemacht?
🇩🇪 B: Meine Großmutter. Sie kocht sehr gut.

🇮🇹 A: Chi ha preparato questa torta?
🇮🇹 B: Mia nonna. Cucina molto bene.

🇵🇹 A: Quem fez este bolo?
🇵🇹 B: Minha avó. Ela cozinha muito bem.

Looking at old photos

A: Who's the boy in this photo?
B: He's my cousin when he was five years old.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Quién es el niño de esta foto?
🇪🇸 B: Es mi primo cuando tenía cinco años.

🇫🇷 A: Qui est le garçon sur cette photo ?
🇫🇷 B: C'est mon cousin quand il avait cinq ans.

🇩🇪 A: Wer ist der Junge auf diesem Foto?
🇩🇪 B: Das ist mein Cousin, als er fünf Jahre alt war.

🇮🇹 A: Chi è il bambino in questa foto?
🇮🇹 B: È mio cugino quando aveva cinque anni.

🇵🇹 A: Quem é o menino nesta foto?
🇵🇹 B: É meu primo quando tinha cinco anos.

🌎 Cultural Note

Family traditions vary across English-speaking countries, but many families enjoy spending time together for weekend meals, birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. You'll often hear people talk about visiting grandparents, getting together with relatives, or having a family dinner.

🏆 Final Practice

Try saying each sentence before pressing play.

Every Sunday we have lunch at my grandparents' house.
My brother plays the guitar in a band.
My cousin always makes the birthday cake.
This summer we're going to travel with the whole family.
My grandfather always tells interesting stories.
We get together with the family to celebrate.