Family is at the heart of Spanish culture. Learning to talk about relatives and relationships is key to connecting with Spanish speakers. From immediate family to extended relatives, you'll discover essential vocabulary and phrases.
Describing family members goes beyond just names. You'll learn to express age, traits, and dynamics using verbs like "ser" and "tener." Practice asking questions and discussing family activities to bring your language skills to life.
Family vocabulary in Spanish
Immediate family members
- madre (mother)
- padre (father)
- hermano (brother)
- hermana (sister)
- hijo (son)
- hija (daughter)
Extended family members
- abuelo (grandfather)
- abuela (grandmother)
- tío (uncle)
- tía (aunt)
- primo (male cousin)
- prima (female cousin)
- sobrino (nephew)
- sobrina (niece)
Other important family terms
- esposo (husband)
- esposa (wife)
- suegro (father-in-law)
- suegra (mother-in-law)
- cuñado (brother-in-law)
- cuñada (sister-in-law)
- padrastro (stepfather)
- madrastra (stepmother)
- hermanastro (stepbrother)
- hermanastra (stepsister)
Describing family relationships
Using the verb "ser" and possessive adjectives
- Use the verb "ser" to describe family relationships (Juan es mi hermano, María es mi prima)
- Express possession using possessive adjectives: mi (my), tu (your), su (his/her/their), nuestro/a (our), vuestro/a (your - plural)
- Combine "ser" and possessive adjectives to form sentences like "Ella es mi madre" (She is my mother) or "Ellos son nuestros primos" (They are our cousins)
- Remember that possessive adjectives agree in number and gender with the noun they modify (mi hermano, mis tíos, nuestra abuela)
Describing age and traits
- Describe age using the verb "tener" (Mi padre tiene 45 años)
- Use adjectives to describe physical and personality traits of family members (Mi hermana es alta y divertida)
- Place adjectives after the noun they modify in Spanish (un tío simpático, una prima inteligente)
- Use "ser" to describe more permanent traits (Es rubio) and "estar" for temporary states (Está cansado)
Conversations about family dynamics
Asking and responding to questions
- Ask and respond to questions about family size and composition (¿Cuántos hermanos tienes? Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana)
- Inquire about family members' ages, professions, or hobbies (¿Cuántos años tiene tu abuelo? ¿A qué se dedica tu tía? ¿Qué le gusta hacer a tu primo?)
- Respond to questions using complete sentences and appropriate vocabulary (Mi abuelo tiene 78 años. Mi tía es doctora. A mi primo le gusta jugar al fútbol.)
- Practice using question words such as quién (who), cuántos (how many), qué (what), and dónde (where) to form questions about family
Discussing family activities and relationships
- Discuss family activities and traditions (En mi familia, celebramos el Día de Acción de Gracias juntos)
- Express opinions and feelings about family relationships (Me llevo bien con mis primos, A veces discuto con mi hermano)
- Use basic present tense verbs to describe family routines and habits (Mis padres trabajan mucho, Mis abuelos viven en el campo)
- Employ common verbs like "ir" (to go), "hacer" (to do/make), "visitar" (to visit), and "pasar tiempo" (to spend time) when discussing family activities