Would you like to significantly improve your Spanish vocabulary?
Today, I’m going to show you a smart way to do just that—without relying on boring memorization tricks. Word families have the power to improve your Spanish vocabulary, as they offer clues to the meaning of words and connect to other similar words.
Keep reading to discover what word families are, how they will help you improve your Spanish vocabulary, the benefits of learning them, and some of the main word families in the Spanish language.
How to Improve Your Spanish Vocabulary
Acquiring Spanish vocabulary is a key part of your language learning process. If you don’t know the words, it’s impossible to speak the language.
However, traditional methods used for learning vocabulary rely heavily on flashcards and memorization. While there is a time and a place for that, smarter ways to improve your Spanish vocabulary now exist.
One of these ways is the study of word families! Learning these groups of related words makes it easier for you to remember and use them.
What Are Word Families?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a word family is “a group of related words that are formed from the same word.”
Words of the same family always have something in common with each other, whether a prefix, suffix, or root word. Two types of word families exist: rhyming and morphological.
Rhyming Word Families
As their name indicates, words with similar ending sounds form rhyming word families. Rappers are masters of these kinds of word families.
Some examples include
- coche (car), noche (night), and broche (brooch)
- zeta (zeta), maceta (flower pot), and calceta (stocking)
Morphological Word Families
When words share a common structure and meaning, they belong to the same morphological word family. To expand your Spanish vocabulary, you’ll want to focus on this kind of word family.
Examples of morphological word families include
- activo (active), proactivo (proactive), and actividad (activity)
- comer (to eat), comida (food), and comedor (dining room)
Why Are Word Families Important for Language Learners?
As a Spanish student, you want to learn everything related to the language. Improving your Spanish vocabulary is definitely one of the goals, and studying word families is a great way to do precisely that.
Word families help you to understand where words come from and how they are structured. They give you insight into the meaning of words and work like a trail of breadcrumbs to help you discover and understand more words.
Benefits of Learning Word Families
So, we’ve established that word families are great, but what’s in it for you? How are you going to directly benefit from studying word families?
Benefits of learning word families:
- Increase and improve your Spanish vocabulary
- Recognize word patterns
- Recognize sounds from letter combinations
- Improve reading comprehension
- Identify root words and understand their common meanings
- Improve your reading fluency
- Improve your writing skills
Researchers have found that we learn by making connections between what we already know and what we are currently learning. This is the central idea of studying word families to increase your Spanish vocabulary.
The Parts of a Word Family
From now on, when I talk about word families I’m referring to morphological word families. Studying rhyming families has its benefits, too, but they are mostly centered around helping children learn to read in their native language.
We’re interested in the clues and insights morphological word families provide. This way, you can make connections and improve your Spanish vocabulary.
Every word in a word family comes from the same root word. In Spanish, root words are called palabras primitivas. They usually originate from a Latin or Greek word. The part of the word shared with other members of the same family is called la raíz, which means “root.”
That raíz is also known as a lexema.
The second part of a word is called gramema, and that’s the part that changes from word to word in the family.
Every word in Spanish is formed by a lexema and a gramema. Prefixes and suffixes may be added, too. Sometimes, the prefix plays the role of a lexema and the suffix the role of a gramema.
Now that you know how Spanish words are built, let’s focus on the practical benefits of learning word families to improve your Spanish vocabulary.
Common Spanish Word Families
You can study the following word families to improve your Spanish vocabulary. Instead of trying to memorize them, focus on understanding the root word. That’s the key to continue learning more and more words on your own.
1. The Agua Family
Root word: agua (water)
Derived words: acuático (aquatic), acuoso (watery), aguacero (downpour), aguarrás (turpentine oil), paraguas (umbrella)
Notice how the root can change in its form and position in derived words. In acuático and acuoso, the root is still there, but it shows its Latin roots (aqua). In paraguas, the root is also there but not at the beginning of the word like in most cases.
This can happen with other word families, as well.
2. The Flor Family
Root word: flor (flower)
Derived words: florido (flowery), florista (florist), floral (floral), flora (flora), florecer (to flourish), florería (flower shop)
3. The Leer Family
Root word: leer (to read)
Derived words: leyendo (reading), leyenda (legend), lector/a (reader), lectura (reading)
4. The Libro Family
Root word: libro (book)
Derived words: librería (bookstore), librero (bookcase), libreta (notebook), libreto (screenplay)
5. The Deporte Family
Root word: deporte (sport)
Derived words: deportivo (sporty), deportista (athlete), deportividad (sportsmanship), polideportivo (sports club)
6. The Pan Family
Root word: pan (bread)
Derived words: panadero/a (baker), panecillo (biscuit), panadería (bakery), panera (bread bin)
7. The Mar Family
Root word: mar (sea)
Derived words: marítimo (maritime), marino (sailor), ultramar (overseas), maremoto (seaquake)
8. The Luz Family
Root word: luz (light)
Derived words: luciérnaga (firefly), luminoso (bright), iluminado (enlightened), ilustración (enlightenment)
9. The Radio Family
Root word: radio (radio)
Derived words: radiación (radiation), radiodifusora (broadcaster), irradiar (radiate), radiante (radiant)
10. The Sol Family
Root word: sol (sun)
Derived words: solar (solar), soleado (sunny), solsticio (solstice), solana (solarium)
11. The Zapato Family
Root word: zapato (shoe)
Derived words: zapatilla (slipper), zapatero/a (shoemaker), zapateo (stomping), zapateado (tap dance)
Practice Your Word Families
These are just 11 of the many word families that exist in the Spanish language. Practice them and search for other words in the same family. Once you master them, look for more word families to keep improving your Spanish vocabulary.
Leave a comment below to share more words derived from these word families or add a new family to the list!
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Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor’s, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.
Every word in a word family comes from the same root word. In Spanish, root words are called palabras primitivas. They usually originate from a Latin or Greek word. The part of the word shared with other members of the same family is called la raíz, which means “root.” That raíz is also known as a lexema.
What are the words associated with family?
Family Vocabulary Word List
- adoption. adoptive father. adoptive mother. ancestor. aunt.
- bachelor. birth mother. blood relative. bride.
- care-giver. child. childhood. children.
- dad. daddy. daughter. daughter-in-law.
- eligible. engaged. engagement. estranged.
- faithful. family. family tree. father.
- genealogy. grampa. gramps. grandchild.
- half-brother. half-sister. heir. heiress.
Does Spanish have a word for it?
Although Spanish has a word for “it,” ello, that word is uncommon and can only be used as a subject pronoun or the object of a preposition under some circumstances. When “it” is the subject of an English sentence, the word typically is omitted in translation to Spanish.
Why is lo siento sorry?
The Spanish phrase “Lo siento.” is translated to English as “I’m sorry.” However word for word would be “I feel it.” literally “It I feel” with Spanish syntax being different from English syntax. INSTEAD OF SAYING: “I feel it in my soul and deeply regret that.” WE JUST SAY *i feel it.”
Why do Spanish words have accents?
Written Accent Marks (Tildes) , or written accents, are used for many different purposes in Spanish. Among other things, they are used to mark word stress, differentiate the present tense from the past tense, and show whether something is a question, exclamation, or statement.
Does lo mean in Spanish?
Lo as a Neuter Direct-Object Pronoun Used in this way, lo is usually translated as “it,” sometimes as “that”: No podemos hacerlo. (We can’t do it.)
What does Lo mean in Lo siento?
I feel it
How do you use te in Spanish?
“Te” can act as either a direct object pronoun or an indirect object pronoun and can be used to convey the idea of “you” in regards to the direct object of a verb or the idea of “to you/for you” when it acts as an indirect object pronoun.
Why is que used so much in Spanish?
5 Answers. Que is the most common word in Spanish, according to one study I read. It’s most often used as a conjunction and/or relative pronoun, then (with tilde) as interrogative “What” (Qué). It has many uses, and like a chameleon, can change its meaning to suit the context of the sentence.
How do you use qui and que?
As a relative pronoun, que is a direct object (person or thing), and qui is either a subject (person or thing) or the object of a preposition (person only).
What does Kay mean in Spanish?
4. votes. K in an english sentance means Kay as in Okay. K in spanish would mean Que which is ‘what’ for spanish.
What does an infinitive mean in Spanish?
el infinitivo
What are the 3 infinitive endings in Spanish?
In their basic or “infinitive” form, all Spanish verbs can have one of three endings: “-ar”, “-er” or “-ir”.
What are examples of infinitives in Spanish?
Hablar is the Spanish equivalent to the English infinitive “to speak,” beber is “to drink,” and escribir is “to write.” You will be able to recognize the infinitive form of verbs in Spanish because they always end in one of three ways: – ar, – er, or – ir. The above examples of infinitives include one of each type.
What does conjugate mean in Spanish?
According to the encarta, the verb “conjugate” means: to state the forms of a verb: A verb such as “to speak” (“to speak” is the infinitive form in English. The same form, the infinitive form, is “hablar” in Spanish) has forms that vary according to who is doing the speaking, for example, and when.
How are sentences structured in Spanish?
You can often hear sentences in the verb + object + subject format or in the object + verb + subject order. Yo recibí un perro. Recibí un perro. If you are just starting to form Spanish sentences, use the first format we learned: subject + verb + object.
What are the basics of Spanish?
Basic Spanish Words
- Hola = Hello.
- Adiós = Goodbye.
- Por favor = Please.
- Gracias = Thank you.
- Lo siento = Sorry.
- Salud = Bless you (after someone sneezes)
- Sí = Yes.
- No = No.
Is Spanish faster than English?
Also remember that Spanish is spoken at 7.82 syllables per second, whereas English is spoken at 6.19 syllables per second. It follows, then, that Spanish is about 25% faster than English. Therefore, a Spanish-language equivalent to a 300-word English document will be about 50 or 100 words longer.
Why do Spanish speakers talk so fast?
This is pretty much due to two things: informational density in Spanish is lower than in English, and the syllabic rate is higher in Spanish than English. In other words, you need more syllables in Spanish to convey the same information as you would in English.
Which language is fastest?
List of The 7 Fastest Spoken Languages in The World.
- 1. Japanese: Japanese is the fastest recorded language.
- Spanish: Spanish is right behind Japanese and is nearly as fast with a rate of 7.82 syllables per second.
- French. French lags just a little far behind with a rate of 7.18 syllables per second.
- Italian.
- English.
- German.
- Mandarin.
Table of Contents
- Does Parientes mean parents?
- What is the difference between the words Padres and Parientes?
- Is family a word?
- What is La Famiglia?
- What is the synonym of family?
- What is a family one word?
- What is a new family called?
- Whats is kin?
- How do you use the word kin?
- What are the ingredients in kin?
- What does Kin mean on TikTok?
- What mean next of kin?
- How do you know if you kin a character?
- What does it mean to have an anime kin?
- What is kin list?
- Does Kin mean gold in Japanese?
- What’s a comfort character?
- Is it OK to have a comfort character?
- Is it weird to have a comfort character?
- How do you know if you’re a comfort character?
- What does comfort you mean?
- Can you create your own comfort character?
- What is a comfort anime?
- What is the best comfort anime?
- Who is the best anime girl?
- Who is the best anime boy?
Every word in a word family comes from the same root word. In Spanish, root words are called palabras primitivas. They usually originate from a Latin or Greek word. The part of the word shared with other members of the same family is called la raíz, which means “root.” That raíz is also known as a lexema.
Does Parientes mean parents?
I have two friends who speak Spanish; in the case of one, he grew up in Mexico; in the case of the other, his parents spoke Spanish at home when he was young. They both say that “parientes” means “parents” whereas every book I’ve seen says it means “relatives.”
What is the difference between the words Padres and Parientes?
The generic name for parents in Spanish is padres. Don’t use Parientes which means relatives.
Is family a word?
Word families are groups of words that have a common feature or pattern – they have some of the same combinations of letters in them and a similar sound. For example, at, cat, hat, and fat are a family of words with the “at” sound and letter combination in common. You can study one word family a week.
What is La Famiglia?
famiglia noun. family, household, house, home, people.
What is the synonym of family?
Synonyms & Antonyms of family
- blood,
- clan,
- folks,
- house,
- kin,
- kindred,
- kinfolk.
- (or kinfolks),
What is a family one word?
noun, plural fam·i·lies. a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family.
What is a new family called?
A new term has been introduced, postmodern family, intended to describe the great variability in family forms, including single-parent families and couples without children.” Nuclear family households are now less common compared to household with couples without children, single-parent families, and unmarried couples …
Whats is kin?
(Entry 1 of 3) 1 : a group of persons of common ancestry : clan. 2a : one’s relatives : kindred our neighbors and their kin close kin.
How do you use the word kin?
Kin in a Sentence 🔉
- Her kin was coming to stay for the annual family Christmas event.
- She needed to list next of kin on her emergency contact list.
- The family party would only include kin, no friends were invited.
- His kin had planned a surprise birthday party for him during their family reunion.
What are the ingredients in kin?
Kin Spritz contains the following ingredients: purified water, xylitol, hibiscus extract, gentian root extract, orange peel extract, licorice root extract, bitter orange extract, GABA, l-theanine, tyrosine, citicoline, caffeine, 5-HTP, rhodiola extract, phenylethylamine, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, citric acid.
What does Kin mean on TikTok?
The urban dictionary describes the meaning of kin as “a character (or characters, you can have more than one kin) you associate/identify with. kins are to help you express yourself, comfort you etc.” Many TikTok users are making videos about their anime kins and some people even have multiple.
What mean next of kin?
Next of kin is a term used to describe your closest living relative or relatives. In the event of someone’s death, next of kin may also be used to describe the person or people who stand to inherit the most.
How do you know if you kin a character?
if you feel a deep connection to a character or species, believe that it is you or was you, think “that’s me” when you see them, etc, you could be fictionkin! try speaking about the character in question in the first person, call their friends/family your friends/family, their home your home, etc.
What does it mean to have an anime kin?
When fans use the word “kin” they are expressing connection and affection toward an anime character. It can be considered a substitute for “like” or “love” as in, “I kin Goku from Dragon Ball Z.” It can also be used to describe the person’s relationship toward the character such as, “Goku is my kin.”
What is kin list?
What is a Kin List? A Kin list or “kinlist” is based on fictionkin and is a list of characters you relate to, or even, believe to be. It comes from kinning, which is acting as that fictional character.
Does Kin mean gold in Japanese?
Usually read as kin, or kane, this character can invoke confusion at times because of the wide variety of meanings ascribed to it. It can refer to metal, specifically gold, but can also be used to refer to money, including paper money, and any type of metal in general.
What’s a comfort character?
Comfort characters are characters that people latch onto, think of it like an obsession, rather than a usual just “like”. These characters usually bring comfort to said person, think of it almost like a safety blanket.
Is it OK to have a comfort character?
Comfort characters can be good coping mechanisms, but also aspirational and inspirational. “If X were here now, they’d tell me I shouldn’t keep moving forward with this, even though it’s hard.” You do you. If it’s helping you cope, helping you keep active, helping you stay motivated, …
Is it weird to have a comfort character?
No. This is the definition of a comfort character: a character that makes you feel relaxed or happy. A lot of people use their comfort character as a coping mechanism – they imagine themselves being with the character, whether that’s as friends, romantic partners, or family. It can only be a fictional character.
How do you know if you’re a comfort character?
The typical comfort character is usually protective of their loved ones and is caring and loyal. Think Harry Potter’s dopey best friend Ron Weasley, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, or Sugawara, the “mom-friend” from the anime Haikyu.
What does comfort you mean?
To comfort someone is to give solace or to soothe. The verb comfort comes from the Latin word comfortare, which means “strengthen greatly.” To give comfort is to shore up the mood or physical state of someone else. It might take a long time to comfort your mother after her cat disappears.
Can you create your own comfort character?
Can anyone have a comfort character? Absolutely! A comfort character is just a character that you like or that can help you feel better sometimes!
What is a comfort anime?
Comfort animes, by my own definition, are animes that makes you feel good when you watch it (much like drugs and women in a perspective of an addict and a pervert).
What is the best comfort anime?
15 Best Feel-Good Anime You Have To Watch
- School Babysitters.
- Flying Witch.
- Ah My Goddess.
- Yuri!!! On Ice.
- K-On!
- Haikyuu!
- Yakitate Ja-pan.
- Ouran High School Host Club.
Who is the best anime girl?
The Most “Favored” Anime Girls, According To MAL (In Ranking Order):
- Mikasa Ackerman (Attack On Titan)
- Yuno Gasai (Future Diary)
- Taiga Aisaka ( Toradora )
- Senjougahara Hitagi ( Monogatari )
- Saber (Fate Stay Night/Fate Zero)
- Holo The Wise Wolf (Spice & Wolf)
- Shinobu ( Monogatari )
- Asuna Yuuki ( Sword Art Online )
Who is the best anime boy?
Hot anime guys galore!
- Makoto Tachibana from Free!
- Ryouta Kise from Kuroko no Basuke.
- Uchiha Sasuke from Naruto.
- Kirigaya “Kirito” Kazuto from Sword Art Online.
- Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop.
- Levi Ackerman from Shingeki no Kyojin.
- Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul.
- Light Yagami from Death Note.
FAMILY. Spanish vocabulary – FAMILIA / FAMILY.
What is the vocabulary of family?
Your family members are also called your relatives. You have an immediate or nuclear family and an extended family. Your immediate family includes your father, mother and siblings. Your extended family includes all of the people in your father and mother’s families. Your sibling is your brother or sister.
What are some Spanish vocabulary words?
Basic Spanish Words
- Hola = Hello.
- Adiós = Goodbye.
- Por favor = Please.
- Gracias = Thank you.
- Lo siento = Sorry.
- Salud = Bless you (after someone sneezes)
- Sí = Yes.
- No = No.
Does Familia mean family?
Meaning “the family” in Spanish, la familia variously refers in English to one’s family, circle of friends and coworkers, teammates, or other close communities or organizations.
What is called father’s brother?
Your uncle can be: -Your father’s brother -Your mother’s brother -Your father’s sister’s husband -Your mother’s sister’s husband. In English, when we use words like “aunt”, “uncle”, “grandmother”, “grandfather”, or “cousin”, we could mean our mother’s side of the family or our father’s side of the family.
How do you list family members in Spanish?
Following are the names for the most common relatives and some of the uncommon ones:
- Padre: father.
- Madre: mother.
- Hermano: brother.
- Hermana: sister.
- Suegro: father-in-law.
- Suegra: mother-in-law.
- Cuñado: brother-in-law.
- Cuñada: sister-in-law.
What are all the family words in Spanish?
The following list gives basic names for family members: padre ( pah -dreh) (father) madre ( mah -dreh) (mother) hijo ( ee -Hoh) (son) hija ( ee -Hah) (daughter) hermano (ehr- mah -noh) (brother) hermana (ehr- mah -nah) (sister) yerno ( yeh r-noh) (son-in-law) nuera (noo eh -rah) (daughter-in-law) nieto (nee eh -toh) (grandson) nieta (nee eh -tah) (granddaughter)
What are the 100 most used words in Spanish?
Top 100 Spanish Words. 1. gracias (thanks) 2. ser (be) 3. a (to) 4. ir (to go) 5. estar (to be) 6. bueno (good) 7. de (of, from) 8. su (your, her, his, their) 9. hacer (to do, to make) 10. amigo (friend) 11. por favor (please) 12. no (no) 13. en (on, in) 14. haber (“to have” as an auxiliary verb) 15.
What is the Spanish word for family?
In spanish, the word family can be spelled: familia, parientes. la familia. family in french. family in spanish.
What are some cool Spanish words?
List of Cool Spanish Words. Amor – a loving nickname you say to another person. Usually the one you love. It is also the word for love. Amorfo – can be used to refer to an ugly person. It literally means without form. Achuchar – to hug someone to the point that they can´t breath.
domestic | family |
---|---|
household | ancestral |
genetic | hereditary |
inherited | marital |
matrimonial | ordinary |
What is the synonym of familiar?
1’I see a lot of familiar faces’ well known known recognized accustomed. common everyday day-to-day ordinary commonplace frequent habitual usual customary repeated routine standard stock mundane run-of-the-mill conventional.
How would you describe your family?
To begin with my family has got 6 members including me. My father mother elder brother and two younger sisters are the roots of my existence and I love them very much. To start with my mother she is the sweetest person and the kindest hearted woman I have ever seen. She is creative helpful and loving in nature.
Is family singular in Spanish?
Family members are common nouns so they will change from singular to plural and vice versa. Generally their plural form is created by adding -S or -ES to the nouns. You simply have to add -S when the noun ends in a vowel such as NIETA → NIETAS and -ES when it ends in a consonant.
What are the names of your family members in Spanish?
Following are the names for the most common relatives and some of the uncommon ones:
- Padre: father.
- Madre: mother.
- Hermano: brother.
- Hermana: sister.
- Suegro: father-in-law.
- Suegra: mother-in-law.
- Cuñado: brother-in-law.
- Cuñada: sister-in-law.
How do you say La Familia?
la familia Pronunciation. la fa·mil·i·a.
Is Familia a name?
The surname Familia is the 60 175th most frequently held last name in the world borne by around 1 in 870 051 people. … Familia is also the 114 362nd most frequent forename on earth borne by 3 784 people. It is most frequently occurring in The Dominican Republic where it is held by 6 055 people or 1 in 1 723.
What is the root word for family?
The word family came into English in the fifteenth century. … Its root lies in the Latin word famulus “servant”. The first meaning in English was close to our modern word “household” — a group of individuals living under one roof that included blood relations and servants.
What is a simple sentence for family?
Five sentences on my family are given below :
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My family is a small and a sweet family consisting of four people that is mom dad me and my elder sister. 2. My parents cares for me and my elder sister a lot. … All our family members love each other.
What is a family in simple words?
Family: A family is a group of two or more persons related by birth marriage or adoption who live together all such related persons are considered as members of one family.
How do you introduce your family?
Is La Familia singular?
So “the family goes” and “the family is going” is correct. No in Spanish only va the singular is correct. You never say “La familia van” in Spanish. It’s singular.
Is Mi Familia plural?
There are no exceptions of the kind that English shows in for example the use of some collective nouns like “family” or “government” or proper names of institutions. So if the subject of your sentence is mi familia then the verb must always be in the singular.
How do you conjugate Nadar?
The following examples show you nadar in action: ¿Nadas todos los días? (Do you swim every day?)
…
Conjugating the Spanish Verb Nadar (to Swim)
Conjugation | Translation |
---|---|
yo nado | I swim |
tú nadas | You (informal) swim |
él/ella/ello/uno nada | He/she/one swims |
usted nada | You (formal) swim |
What is Mi Amore?
Translation of “mi amor” in English. Noun. honey. babe my love my darling sweetie my dear mi amor my sweetheart my beloved my lover.
What happens in Mi Familia?
José meets and marries the love of his life María an American citizen. After María is illegally deported to Mexico by the U.S. federal government in a mass roundup she makes it back to Los Angeles via a long and arduous trip two years later where she returns home with their new son Chucho.
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What are 10 simple sentences?
50 examples of simple sentences
- She doesn’t study German on Monday.
- Does she live in Paris?
- He doesn’t teach math.
- Cats hate water.
- Every child likes an ice cream.
- 6.My brother takes out the trash.
- The course starts next Sunday.
- She swims every morning.
How do you write a family essay?
Tips on writing a family essay
- Select a topic. There are various topics about a family essay which talk of different things. …
- Introduction. …
- Develop a thesis statement. …
- Clear and precise body paragraphs. …
- Use transition sentences. …
- Conclusion.
How do I say about my family?
What is the opposite of Familial?
Opposite of of or pertaining to a human family. nondomestic. nonfamilial. extraordinary.
What is another word for fraternal?
In this page you can discover 11 synonyms antonyms idiomatic expressions and related words for fraternal like: brotherly sisterly social comradely friendly intimate comradeship congenial identical brotherlike and biovular.
What does family environment mean?
The family environment “involves the circumstances and social climate conditions within families. Since each family is made up of different individuals in a different setting each family environment is unique. The environments can differ in many ways.
What is a better word for Which?
In this page you can discover 23 synonyms antonyms idiomatic expressions and related words for which like: that and which and-that what whichever who whatever thus for-which therefore and so-that. Words That Rhyme With Orange.
What is the meaning pally?
(pæli ) adjective. If you are pally with someone you are friendly with them. [informal] Synonyms: friendly intimate close familiar More Synonyms of pally.
Members of the family in Spanish
Describing your Family in Spanish
How to write a simple paragraph about your family in Spanish.
Family Members in Spanish | The Language Tutor *Lesson 23*
When you enter the whole español working you will learn about them because family is the most important thing.
Spaniards spend as much time as possible with family members and relatives, making meals together, enjoying their company.
When a person has problems or issues of any kind, family is first to talk to and ask for help and advice, financial, moral or just to be there as a support.
Therefore, naturally, as a Spanish student, you need to know the words and phrases related to family and relatives.
So, besides mastering some Spanish words that can spice up your conversations, you should put on your ‘to learn’ list these 68 commonly used family words in Spanish we will provide for you.
Moreover, at the end of this post, you can find the List of Family Words in Spanish in a PDF file to download and carry with you whenever you need to take a look or learn them in your spare time.
So now, let’s get started.
Family Words in Spanish
As we’ve mentioned, family is the most important thing and a key part of
Spanish-speaking countries.
No wonder they often repeat the phrase “La familia es todo.” (Family is everything.)
And they are right. Who will support you and help you in the moment of need but family?
So, in the following lines, you will get the opportunity to expand your Spanish vocabulary with family words in Spanish.
In case you aren’t sure whether you’ve pronounced them correctly,
Spanish tutors are available for any kind of help and support, just like the family.
La familia (The Family)
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Madre- mother
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Mamá- mom
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Mami- mommy
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Padre- father
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famPapá- dad
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Papi- daddy
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Padres- parents
Example: Me gustaria conocer a tus padres.- I would like to meet your parents.
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Hermana- sister
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Hermana menor- younger sister
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Hermano- brother
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Hermano mayor- older brother
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Hermanos- siblings
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Niño- child
Example: John es mi hermano.- John is my brother.
Mi esposa y yo tenemos una hija y dos hijos.- My wife and I have one daughter and two sons.
Familia Extendida (Extended Family)
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Abuela- grandmother
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Abuelita- grandma
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Abuelo- grandfather
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Abuelito- grandpa
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Abuelos- grandparents
Example: Esto es mi abuelo y esta es mi abuelita.- This is my grandfather and this is my grandma.
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Nieta- granddaughter
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Nieto- grandson
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Tia- aunt
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Tio- uncle
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Prima- cousin (female)
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Primo- cousin (male)
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Primos- cousins
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Sobrina — niece
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Sobrino — nephew
La Nueva Familia (New Family)
Today, it is common that people divorce and remarry.
Their new partners often already have kids, who are our siblings, that is, stepbrothers and sisters.
Our new family in Spanish looks like this:
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Madrastra- stepmother
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Padrastro-stepfather
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Hijastro- stepson
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Hijastra -stepdaughter
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Hermanastro- step brother
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Hermanastra- step sister
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Medio hermano- half brother
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Media hermana- half-sister
La Familia Política ( Family In-law)
No, we won’t talk about politics even though it seems at first sight.
‘La familia politica’ means family members in-law.
So, let’s learn la familia politica.
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Suegra- mother-in-law
Suegro- father-in-law
Nuera- daughter-in-law
Yerno- son-in-law
Cuñada- sister-in-law
Cuñado- brother-in-law
Esposa- wife
Esposo- husband
Example: Esta es mi esposa.- This is my wife.
How to Use Family Words in Sentences?
Now that you know family words in Spanish, it is time to learn to use them properly as well as with other phrases.
Describing a Family
When you want to describe your family in Spanish, you need to know three main things:
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Family words
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The verb ‘ser’
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Adjectives
According to this, it’s pretty easy to describe your family members.
The word order is the following:
Subject+the verb ‘ser’+adjective
Subject refers to family words
The verb ‘ser’ has to be conjugated properly, which depends on the subject you use.
Adjectives are used singular or plural, which, again, depends on the subject and the verb.
The verb ‘Ser’
As we’ve mentioned, describing your family isn’t so difficult. Besides knowing family words, which are subjects in the sentence, and an inevitable ver ‘ser.’
The verb ’ser’ (to be) is irregular and it looks like this.
Singular Plural
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Yo soy- I am 1. Nosotros/ nosotras somos- We are
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Tu es- You are 2. Vosotros/ vosotras sois- You are
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El/Ella/Usted es- He/She is 3. Ellos/ Ellas/ Ustedes son- they are
Possessive Adjectives For Talking About Family
Possessive adjectives are essential if you want to talk about family.
They are ‘mi/mis’ (my), ‘tu/tus’ (your), ‘su/sus’ (his,her), ‘nuestro/ nuestros’ (our) and they have to agree on gender and number with the words you use as a subject.
If you, for example, want to say ‘my mother,’ you say ‘mi madre,’ but if you want to say ‘my sisters’ you say ‘mis hermanas.’
Example: Mi mamá es enfermera. -My mum is a nurse.
Mi familia es grande. — My family is big.
Family-Related Verbs
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Casarse- to marry
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Divorciarse- to divorce
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Separarse- to separate
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Tener un hijo- to have a child
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Adoptar un nino- To adopt a child
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Ilevarse bien (con…)- to have a good relationship (with…)
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Ilevarse mal (con…)- to have a bad relationship (with…)
Other Family Words And Phrases in Spanish
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Conocer a la familia- o meet the family
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El árbol genealógico- family tree
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El recién nacido- newborn
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El primogénito- first-born/ eldest
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El hijo único- Only child
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El aniversario de bodas- wedding aniversary
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La fecha de nacimiento- date of birth
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El cumpleaños- birthday
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Los antepasados- ancestors
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El testamento- will, testament
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El heredero- heir
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Los mellizos- twins
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Los gemelos- identical twins
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Los trillizos- triplets
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Vecinos- neighbors
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Viuda- widow
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Viudo- widower
Final Thoughts
Now that you are informed about all the details that concern family words and phrases, are you ready to ‘Conocer a la familia?’
If you are nervous a bit, you can first practice with your
Spanish tutor and talk about your family.
That way, not only will you remember these words better but you will certainly learn even more of them and how to use them, so your vocabulary will be on an impressive point.
[Download the PDF List of 68 Commonly Used Family Words in Spanish here]
By
Last updated:
January 12, 2023
You might be going to a friend’s house for a party or picking up your date for the first time.
Or if you’ve enrolled in an immersion course and are staying with a host family, you might be gearing up to meet them.
Whatever the case, if you’re going to conocer a la familia (to meet the family) you’ll need to get to know the cast of characters.
In this blog post, you’ll learn 38 essential family words in Spanish—from the basics like madre and padre to extended and blended family.
Contents
- Immediate Family in Spanish
- Extended Family in Spanish
- The In-laws in Spanish
- Blended Family in Spanish
- How to Use Adjectives with Family Words in Spanish
- The Importance of Family in Spanish Cultures
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Immediate Family in Spanish
Remember: Generally, noun plurals are formed by adding -as to reference that a group is all female and -os to indicate either all males or a mix of males and females.
I’ve included some plural male forms, but if you’re referring to a group of female family members, don’t forget to change that ending or you might risk offending someone!
- Abuela — Grandmother
- Abuelo — Grandfather
- Abuelos — Grandparents
- Madre — Mother
- Padre — Father
- Padres — Parents
- Hermana — Sister
- Hermano — Brother
- Hermanos — Siblings
- Hija — Daughter
- Hijo — Son
- Hijos — Children
- Novia — Girlfriend
- Novio — Boyfriend
- Esposa — Wife
- Esposo — Husband
Example Sentences:
Me gustaría presentarte a mis padres. (I’d like to introduce you to my parents.)
No tengo ni hermanos ni hermanas. (I don’t have brothers or sisters.)
Tengo dos hermosas hijas. (I have two beautiful daughters.)
¡Su novia no se ve feliz! (His girlfriend doesn’t look happy!)
Extended Family in Spanish
- Tía — Aunt
- Tío — Uncle
- Prima — Cousin (female)
- Primo — Cousin (male)
- Primos — Cousins
- Sobrina — Niece
- Sobrino — Nephew
Example Sentences:
Mi tía y mi tío tienen vacas. (My aunt and uncle have cows.)
Mi prima es la única en la familia con el pelo rojo. (My cousin’s the only one in the family with red hair.)
¡Hay tantos primos en mi familia que no puedo contarlos a todos! (There are so many cousins in my family, I can’t count them all!)
A su sobrina y su sobrino les gusta el helado. (Her niece and nephew like ice cream.)
The In-laws in Spanish
- Suegra — Mother-in-law
- Suegro — Father-in-law
- Cuñada — Sister-in-law
- Cuñado — Brother-in-law
Example Sentences:
Su suegra es muy amable. (His mother-in-law is very nice.)
Pero su suegro es malhumorado. (But his father-in-law is grouchy.)
Tengo una cuñada y un cuñado. (I have one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.)
Blended Family in Spanish
- Madrastra — Stepmother
- Padrastro — Stepfather
- Hermanastra — Stepsister
- Hermanastro — Stepbrother
- Media hermana — Half-sister
- Medio hermano — Half-brother
- Abuelastra — Step-grandmother
- Abuelastro — Step-grandfather
- Primastra — Step-cousin (female)
- Primastro — Step-cousin (male)
Example Sentences:
Cuando mi mamá se casó con Juan, él se convirtió mi padrastro. (When my mom married Juan, he became my stepfather.)
Aunque es mi hermanastra, es como una verdadera hermana para mí. (Even though she is my stepsister, she’s like a real sister to me.)
Me agrada más mi abuela que mi abuelastra. (I like my grandmother more than my step-grandmother.)
How to Use Adjectives with Family Words in Spanish
When talking about people, we often use colorful adjectives to describe them.
But remember, there are a few Spanish grammar rules that apply to adjectives:
1. Adjectives must agree in gender with the nouns they modify (masculine or feminine). This means you need to change an adjective to its feminine form to describe a feminine noun (usually by changing the final -o to -a)—and vice versa.
2. Adjectives must agree in number with the noun they modify (singular or plural). Just add -s for vowel endings or -es for consonants.
3. Adjectives usually come after the nouns they modify. There are a few exceptions to that rule (we’ll explore this in more depth below).
Take a look at these sentences that show how you might use adjectives with your family members:
Mi hermana graciosa está aquí. (My funny sister is here.)
Este es mi sabio abuelo. (This is my wise grandfather.)
Mi hermano es adoptado. (My brother’s adopted.)
Ese es el tío hablador. (That’s the talkative uncle.)
¡Ella es la tía loca! (She’s the crazy aunt!)
Mi prima embarazada está allí. (My pregnant cousin is over there.)
Regular practice and consistent immersion are key to making grammar rules like adjective placement come naturally to you.
Thanks to technology, you can immerse yourself in the Spanish culture and language by using a program like FluentU. FluentU lets you watch thousands of authentic Spanish videos with interactive captions. You can click on unknown words to learn them and easily spot adjectives while learning about Spanish family culture.
The Importance of Family in Spanish Cultures
The dynamics of the Spanish family might differ from what you’re used to.
Studies show that familism, the concept of family, is central to the culture. So family structure in Spanish-speaking communities is a key part of their lives—and language.
Spanish families are typically large and homes are filled with many people fostering warm, close relationships. From personal experience, I have to admit there’s so much caring and concern that everyone is in everyone else’s business—but in a good way!
Having extended families, including grandparents, has been the historical norm in many Spanish countries. This trend is still in practice today.
Traditionally, the close-knit Spanish family unit socializes together. With so many relatives around, it makes sense to do so. I know I had playmates galore when I was a kid—and they were all within calling distance!
Children are especially important in the Hispanic culture and are included in social events, even weddings. There usually isn’t a “kids’ table,” either: Children and adults sit and talk together, and if a little one gets cranky there are a lot of adults willing to take a turn at rocking the baby!
“Familia… donde comienza la vida y el amor nunca termina.” (Family… where life begins and love never ends.”
They can be loving, loud, huge, entertaining and sometimes overwhelming. The mix of aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, young and old—often under one big, bursting roof—provides the basis for Spanish life.
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Inside: 11 bilingual family words in Spanish printable flashcards to use in the classroom or at home. Keep reading for fun ways to use these cards
Learn more about different members of the family with these free bilingual family words in Spanish vocabulary printable flashcards!
Flashcards are a great way to memorize new words when learning a foreign language.
Learning about family words in Spanish can be such a great dialogue starter for your Spanish classroom. Everyone comes from different and unique families, let’s share about them in Spanish!
That’s why I decided to put together 11 free family Spanish words flashcards that you can use in the classroom or at home.
Keep reading to learn how to get your bilingual family flashcards and fun ways you can use them with your child/ren today!
*This site may contain affiliate links. To read the full disclosure, go to my privacy policy here.
Materials needed for these family words in Spanish flashcards
For these free printable bilingual family flashcards, all you need is:
8.5 x 11 printer paper or heavy cardstock paper.
· A printer
· Laminator and laminating sheets to laminate them for multi-use.
Simply print the family words in Spanish pdf file and you are ready to play and learn!
What vocabulary words are included in these family words in Spanish?
In this kit of vocabulary flashcards in Spanish you will receive 11 Spanish family words bilingual cards with immediate family members.
Below is the family words in Spanish vocabulary list:
Spanish | English |
Abuelo | Grandfather |
Abuela | Grandmother |
Madre | Mother |
Padre | Father |
Hermano | Brother |
Hermana | Sister |
Tío | Uncle |
Tía | Aunt |
Primo | Cousin |
Prima | Cousin |
La familia | Family |
Keep reading for ideas on how to use these family vocabulary words to use in your classroom or at home today!
Ways to use these family words in Spanish flashcards
Teachers, are you looking for fun ways to introduce family words in Spanish in your classroom?
If so, below I will offer a variety of ways you can use these flashcards to engage with your students in the classroom (or at home) and learn a little more about every student’s unique family.
- Pull out a flashcards and repeat the family word in Spanish. Have your students repeat back after you. Then, ask your students to share something about that family member in Spanish. Make sure they repeat the vocabulary word, for example, mi madre se llama Elena. Or, mi madre tiene pelo rubio. Etc.
Here are some conversation starters. You could talk about the names of family members, people’s ages, family member’s physical appearance, etc. Here are some example sentences. Mi abuelo tiene 60 años. Mi hermana tiene pelo largo. Mi tío es muy alto.
When you subscribe to receive these free family words in Spanish, you will also have access to free coloring pages for mamá, papá, abuelo y abuelita!
- Practice the different grammar rules when learning these words. Talk about masculine nouns and feminine nouns and how adjectives will agree with the gender of each word. So, if you are talking about prima, an adjective will change at the end of the word. Mi prima es bonita. Make sure to go into singular form as well as the plural form. Asking about sibilings is a good way to work the plural form, ¿cuántos hermanos tienes? Yo tengo dos hermanos y una hermana.
- Also mention possessive adjectives, mi padre, mis padres, mi prima, mis primos. You could ask a student a question, for example, ¿Cuántos años tiene tu hermana? Mi hermana tiene 7 años. Then have the rest of the students repeat back the answer using the proper posessive adjective. Su hermana tiene siete años.
- You could read the book Un puñado de botones, a book about family diversity, and use the flashcards to talk about the different families in the book.
- Show your students how to make a family tree with these flashcards. Then, encourage your students to draw their own family tree.
- Have your students bring in a family picture. Then, draw a card from a pile and have your student point to their picture if that family member is featured in the picture.
- For a fun project, your students can make a collage with different family members and share their collage with the class. speaking only in Spanish, of course.
- Print out multiple sets of these family words in Spanish and work on sequences and patterns with your preschoolers!
- The best way to memorize words is to print off two sets and use them as a memory matching game. This activity is perfect for younger children to practice language development and memorization skills to connect the spoken word to the image. Make sure every time you flip over a card, you say the name of what’s on it!
- You could also play a fun game by having your child stand on the opposite side of the room as you, or even better outside. First, shuffle the flashcards. Then, lift a flashcard and show your child. Lastly, if they guess it right, they can take a step or hop forward! If they mess up, a step backward! Will they make it to where you are?
- You could play a bilingual game and say the version in English. Have your child repeat it in Spanish and vice versa.
- You could place the flashcards face up on a table and see how fast your child can recognize the Spanish family vocabulary.
- Another fun way is to play Slapjack by placing all of the flashcards face down on a table. Say a word on the list and have your child flip the cards over until they find the correct family word.
- For reading practice, you could cut the cards in half and use them as puzzles by having your child use their little fingers to match the new words and images with their correct halves.
Related: Spanish Reading Resources and Tips for Emergent Readers
- A great way to encourage writing practice is to pick a family word in Spanish and have them write down a memory with that family member.
I hope some of these ideas help you to use your family words in Spanish around the classroom or at home. Down the road, I plan on expanding on these flashcards with different family members such as extended family and great family members etc.
If you have a different way to use these cards, let me know me know in the comments below so I can share your ideas with my readers, too!
How to get your free printable Spanish flashcards now
If you are already a subscriber, these free adorable flashcards will make their way to your inbox shortly.
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To check out what other Spanish activities you can find, click here. If you do not wish to subscribe— I understand. My inbox gets jammed as well— you can purchase these printables for a small charge at my TPT site here. Either way, you are helping to support this blog!!!
More free and paid flashcards to explore:
- 24 Bilingual Spanish/English Emotions Flashcards
- Color Flashcards in Spanish (Free Printable)
- 20 Spring Vocabulary Flashcards in Spanish (Free Printable)
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Keep reading more:
- 17 Father’s Day Picture Books in Spanish
- Mother’s Day Coloring Pages for Abuela in Spanish for Kids (Free Printables)
- 23 Books About Mamá in Spanish for Kids
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$2.00
4 pages of exercises about familias de palabras (Word Families) in Spanish. Includes a wall chart/poster (A4) with an example.
4 Páginas de ejercicios acerca de Familias de Palabras en español. Incluye un afiche con un ejemplo.
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Description
Description
4 pages of exercises about familias de palabras (Word Families) in Spanish.
Includes a wall chart/poster (A4) with an example of one family of words (the word Flor with its palabra primitiva and derivadas).
CONTENT: This pack contains 7 Pages:
- Wall Chart A4 in Color – (1 page)
- Worksheets – (4 pages)
- Worksheet Teacher Answers – (2 pages)
LEVEL: Intermediate (CEFR – B1 Level) to Advanced
AGE: This is aimed at 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students in a Spanish-speaking country. It can also be used for teenagers or adults learning Spanish as a foreign language at an intermediate to advanced level.
IMPORTANT: The texts and instructions are completely in Spanish.
This product does NOT explain what Word Families are. It contains worksheets to compliment a class on this topic by adding extra exercises for students or as a homework activity.
Format: .PDF
INFORMACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL
4 Páginas de ejercicios acerca de Familias de Palabras en español
Incluye un afiche (A4) con un ejemplo de una familia de palabras con su palabra primitiva y sus derivadas.
CONTENIDO: Este pack contiene 7 Páginas:
- Afiche de una familia de palabras – (1 página)
- Ejercicios (4 páginas)
- Respuestas del Profesor – (2 páginas)
NIVEL: Intermedio (CEFR – B1 Level) a Avanzado
AGE: Para niños en 2º, 3º y 4º Básico (en países de habla hispana). También sirve para adolescentes y adultos aprendiendo español como lengua extranjera en un nivel intermedio o avanzado.
IMPORTANTE: El texto, las actividades y sus instrucciones están en español.
Este producto NO explica como formar una Familia de Palabras. Es para complementar una clase de este tema con ejercicios adicionales para los alumnos o como actividad para completar en casa (tarea).
Formato: .PDF