Family Vocabulary in English
Learning the words for family members is one of the first steps in any new language. This guide covers the most important English family words, how to say them, and how they are used in everyday sentences.
| English Word | Pronunciation | Spanish (Castellano) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | /ˈfɑː.ðər/ | Padre | My father works in an office. |
| Mother | /ˈmʌð.ər/ | Madre | My mother cooks dinner every evening. |
| Brother | /ˈbrʌð.ər/ | Hermano | My brother is two years older than me. |
| Sister | /ˈsɪs.tər/ | Hermana | My sister lives in London. |
| Son | /sʌn/ | Hijo | Their son is starting school this year. |
| Daughter | /ˈdɔː.tər/ | Hija | Their daughter plays football at the weekend. |
| Grandfather | /ˈɡrænd.fɑː.ðər/ | Abuelo | My grandfather tells great stories. |
| Grandmother | /ˈɡrænd.mʌð.ər/ | Abuela | My grandmother lives near the sea. |
| Grandson | /ˈɡrænd.sʌn/ | Nieto | Their grandson visits every Sunday. |
| Granddaughter | /ˈɡrænd.dɔː.tər/ | Nieta | Their granddaughter just learned to walk. |
| Uncle | /ˈʌŋ.kəl/ | Tío | My uncle lives in a small village. |
| Aunt | /ɑːnt/ | Tía | My aunt is a doctor in Madrid. |
| Cousin | /ˈkʌz.ən/ | Primo / Prima | I have ten cousins on my father's side. |
| Nephew | /ˈnef.juː/ | Sobrino | My nephew is studying at university. |
| Niece | /niːs/ | Sobrina | My niece loves drawing and painting. |
| Husband | /ˈhʌz.bənd/ | Marido / Esposo | Her husband works as a teacher. |
| Wife | /waɪf/ | Mujer / Esposa | His wife is a very good cook. |
| Father-in-law | /ˈfɑː.ðər ɪn lɔː/ | Suegro | My father-in-law is very kind. |
| Mother-in-law | /ˈmʌð.ər ɪn lɔː/ | Suegra | My mother-in-law makes excellent paella. |
| Brother-in-law | /ˈbrʌð.ər ɪn lɔː/ | Cuñado | My brother-in-law is learning to drive. |
| Sister-in-law | /ˈsɪs.tər ɪn lɔː/ | Cuñada | My sister-in-law works in Barcelona. |
| Son-in-law | /ˈsʌn ɪn lɔː/ | Yerno | Their son-in-law is from Scotland. |
| Daughter-in-law | /ˈdɔː.tər ɪn lɔː/ | Nuera | Their daughter-in-law is an architect. |
| Great-grandfather | /ˌɡreɪt ˈɡrænd.fɑː.ðər/ | Bisabuelo | My great-grandfather was born in 1920. |
| Great-grandmother | /ˌɡreɪt ˈɡrænd.mʌð.ər/ | Bisabuela | My great-grandmother lived to 97. |
| Stepfather | /ˈstep.fɑː.ðər/ | Padrastro | Her stepfather has been part of the family for ten years. |
| Stepmother | /ˈstep.mʌð.ər/ | Madrastra | His stepmother helps him with his homework. |
| Half-brother | /ˈhɑːf.brʌð.ər/ | Medio hermano | I met my half-brother for the first time last year. |
| Half-sister | /ˈhɑːf.sɪs.tər/ | Media hermana | My half-sister and I talk every week. |
| Twin | /twɪn/ | Gemelo / Gemela | She has a twin brother called David. |
| Note: English does not distinguish gender in words like "cousin" or "parent." Spanish uses separate words (primo/prima, padre/madre). "In-laws" refers collectively to a spouse's family. "Great-" adds one generation back; "step-" indicates a non-biological family relationship through marriage or partnership. | |||