Word for family person

Learn Family Words in English. This English lesson lists some common Family Words for English Language Learners.

Family Words in English

Words and phrases below are used when talking about family and relationships.

• Siblings
• Relative
• Nuclear family
• Childhood
• Sister-in-law
• Brother
• Sister
• Wife
• Husband
• Cousin
• Nephew
• Niece
• Son
• Grandson
• Granddaughter
• Daughter-in-law
• Stepmother
• Stepson
• Stepdaughter
• Stepsister
• Stepbrother
• Half-brother
• Half-sister
• Grandparents
• Masculine
• Feminine
• Children
• Grow up
• Brother-in-law
• Stepfather
• Foster family
• Female
• Male
• Grandfather
• Grandmother
• Married
• Father
• Mother
• Uncle
• Aunt
• In-laws
• Ex-husband
• Twin
• Widow
• Widower
• Ex-wife
• Divorced
• Engaged
• Separated

Family Members

Here are family members vocabulary with examples.

• Brother

My brother and I differ in many ways.

• Sister

I share a bedroom with my sister.

• Wife

He adores his wife and children.

• Husband

She introduced him as her future husband.

• Cousin

The house belonged to my cousin.

• Nephew

He entrusted his nephew with the task.

• Niece

He has a pretty niece.

• Son

Their son will start college in September.

• Grandson

Jack carried his grandson up the stairs.

• Granddaughter

Her granddaughter lives abroad.

• Daughter-in-law

My daughter-in-law is a lawyer.

• Grandfather

Her grandfather taught her to conjure.

• Grandmother

She inherited a fortune from her grandmother.

• Father

His father is a staff sergeant in the army.

• Mother

Her mother was a brilliant scientist.

• Uncle

I don’t have much contact with my uncle.

• Aunt

My aunt always remembers my birthday. She sent me a card with birthday wishes.

List of Family Words | Infographic

Common Family Words in English

Last Updated on July 29, 2020

Семья на английском языке

…………………………………….

Тема «Семья» — одна из первых, которые проходят на уроках английского языка в школе. Типичное задание на тему — рассказ о своей семье. Чтобы составить такой рассказ, нужно знать, как называются члены семьи на английском языке. В этой подборке нет замысловатых терминов для обозначения дальних-дальних родственников (которые и на русском то мало кто знает), в нее вошли только основные слова по теме.

Карточки со словами для удобства разделены на две группы. В каждой около 20 слов.

Члены семьи на английском языке

family	[ˈfæmɪli]	семья
love	[lʌv]	любовь
human	[ˈhjuːmən]	человек
people	[ˈpiːpl]	люди, народ
man	[mæn]	мужчина, человек
woman	[ˈwʊmən]	женщина
boy	[bɔɪ]	мальчик
guy	[gaɪ]	парень
girl	[gɜːl]	девочка, девушка
parents	[ˈpeərənts]	родители
mother	[ˈmʌðə]	мать
father	[ˈfɑːðə]	отец
mom (Am.), mum (Br.)	[mɒm], [mʌm]	мама
dad	[dæd]	папа
grandmother	[ˈgrænˌmʌðə]	бабушка
grandfather	[ˈgrændˌfɑːðə]	дедушка
grandparents	[ˈgrænˌpeərənts]	бабушки и дедушки
brother	[ˈbrʌðə]	брат
sister	[ˈsɪstə]	сестра
siblings	[ˈsɪblɪŋz]	братья и сестры
cousin	[ˈkʌzn]	кузен (двоюродные братья и сестры)

Примеры:

В примерах приведены не все возможные значения слов, а только одно-два основных, относящихся к данной части речи и теме. Если вы хотите узнать больше значений и примеров, воспользуйтесь онлайн-словарями и переводчиками.

• family – семья

My dog is my family member. – Моя собака – член семьи.

I miss my family. – Я скучаю по своей семье.

• love – любовь

What is love? – Что такое любовь?

Make love, not war. – Занимайтесь любовью, а не войной.

• human – человек

A human child – Человеческий детеныш.

Only humans can read and write. – Только люди умеют читать и писать.

• people — люди, народ

How many people live in this house? – Сколько человек живет в этом доме?

Your people is brave. – Ваш народ смелый.

• man — мужчина, человек

John is a reliable man. – Джон – надежный человек.

Men are not allowed into this room. – Мужчинам в эту комнату нельзя.

• woman – женщина

That woman is my sister. – Эта женщина – моя сестра.

There is a young woman waiting for you in the hall. – В холле вас ожидает молодая женщина.

• boy – мальчик

The story is about a boy from a poor family. – Эта история о мальчике из бедной семьи.

What do you want, my boy? – Чего ты хочешь, мальчик мой?

• guy – парень

You are a smart guy, you’ll make it. – Ты умный парень, ты справишься.

I know that guy, we grew up together. – Я знаю этого парня, мы выросли вместе.

• girl — девочка, девушка

We need a ten years old girl for this role. – Нам нужна девочка десяти лет на эту роль.

The girl said she witnessed the accident. – Девушка сказала, что была свидетелем аварии.

• parents – родители

His parents came to visit him. – Его родители приехали его навестить.

This is a present for my parents. – Это подарок для моих родителей.

• mother – мать

We knew your mother. – Мы знали вашу мать.

His mother is the school principal. – Его мама директор школы.

• father – отец

Luke, I am your father. – Люк, я твой отец.

I will have to talk to your father. – Мне придется поговорить с твоим отцом.

• mom (Am.), mum (Br.) – мама

My mom always told me it’s better to be smart than beautiful. – Моя мама всегда говорила мне, что лучше быть умной, чем красивой.

Your mum is always right, son. – Твоя мама всегда права, сынок.

• dad – папа

This is my dad’s camera. – Это фотоаппарат моего папы.

My dad is at work now. – Мой папа сейчас на работе.

• grandmother – бабушка

A little girl named Little Red Riding Hood went to see her grandmother. – Маленькая девочка по имени Красная Шапочка пошла навестить свою бабушку.

• grandfather – дедушка

My grandfather taught me to play chess. – Мой дедушка научил меня играть в шахматы.

• grandparents — бабушки и дедушки

He grandparents live in a small town. – Ее бабушка и дедушка живут в маленьком городке.

• brother – брат

He is my older (younger) brother. – Он мой старший (младший) брат.

They are like brothers. – Они как братья.

• sister – сестра

Ellie and her sister Anny are from Kansas. – Элли и ее сестра Энни – из Канзаса.

My sister works as a nurse. – Моя сестра работает медсестрой.

• siblings — братья и сестры

I have three siblings: two sisters and one brother. – У меня трое братьев и сестер: две сестры и один брат.

• cousin — кузен (двоюродные братья и сестры)

You uncles son is your cousin. – Сын твоего дяди – это твой двоюродный брат.

wife	[waɪf]	жена
husband	[ˈhʌzbənd]	муж
father-in-law	[ˈfɑːðərɪnlɔː]	тесть, свекор (отец жены или мужа)
mother-in-law	[ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː]	теща, свекровь (мать жены или мужа)
son-in-law	[ˈsʌnɪnlɔː]	зять
daughter-in-law	[ˈdɔːtərɪnlɔː]	невестка
son	[sʌn]	сын
daughter	[ˈdɔːtə]	дочь
baby	[ˈbeɪbi]	маленький ребенок
children, kids	[ˈʧɪldrən], [kɪdz]	дети
teenager	[ˈtiːnˌeɪʤə]	подросток
aunt	[ɑːnt]	тетя
uncle	[ˈʌŋkl]	дядя
niece	[niːs]	племянница
nephew	[ˈnɛvju(ː)] [ˈnɛfju(ː)]	племянник
girlfriend	[ˈgɜːlˌfrɛnd]	девушка (подруга)
boyfriend	[ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd]	парень (бойфренд)
friend	[frɛnd]	друг
relatives	[ˈrɛlətɪvz]	родственники
engagement	[ɪnˈgeɪʤmənt]	помолвка
marriage	[ˈmærɪʤ]	женитьба
wedding	[ˈwɛdɪŋ]	свадьба
fiancée, bride	[fɪ’ɑːn(t)seɪ], [braɪd]	невеста
fiancé, groom (bridegroom)	[fɪ’ɑːn(t)seɪ], [grʊm] [ˈbraɪdgrʊm]	жених
funeral	[ˈfjuːnərəl]	похороны
birth	[bɜːθ]	рождение

Примеры:

• wife – жена

How did you meet your wife? – Как вы познакомились с женой?

My wife in on maternity leave. – Моя жена в декретном отпуске.

• husband – муж

My husband in on a business trip. – Мой муж в командировке.

This is my husband’s worst habit. – Это самая ужасная привычка моего мужа.

• father-in-law – тесть, свекор

Father-in-law is your wife’s or husband’s father. – Тесть (свекор) – это отец жены или мужа.

• mother-in-law – теща, свекровь

Mother-in-law is the mother of your husband or wife. – Теща (свекровь) – это мать мужа или жены.

• son-in-law – зять

Son-in-law is the man who is married to your daughter. – Зять – это человек, женатый на дочери.

• daughter-in-law – невестка

Daughter-in-law is your son’s wife. – Невестка – это жена сына.

• son – сын

Your son looks just like you. – Ваш сын выглядит совсем как вы.

He is my only son. – Он мой единственный сын.

• daughter – дочь

Her daughter didn’t take after her. – Ее дочь не пошла в мать (не похожа на нее).

Their daughter is getting married today. – Их дочь сегодня выходит замуж.

• baby — маленький ребенок

There was a woman with a baby. – Там была женщина с маленьким ребенком.

Ruth had a baby yesterday. – Руфь вчера родила.

Примечание: to have a baby – родить ребенка.

• children, kids – дети

This book is not for children. – Эта книга не для детей.

The kids are playing at the backyard. – Дети играют на заднем дворе.

• teenager – подросток

Teenagers like this kind of music. – Подросткам нравится такая музыка.

• aunt – тетя

Her aunt and cousin are going to visit her. – К ней собирается приехать ее тетя и двоюродная сестра.

• uncle – дядя

I stayed at my uncle’s farm for the summer. – Я остался на лето на ферме моего дяди.

• niece – племянница

My niece made this photo album for her aunt, my wife. – Моя племянница сделала этот фотоальбом для ее тети, моей жены.

• nephew – племянник

My uncle met me and his other nephews, my brothers, this year when he came from Birmingham. – Мой дядя познакомился со мной и другими своими племянниками, моими братьями, в этом

• girlfriend — девушка (подруга)

I broke up with my girlfriend. – Я расстался со своей девушкой.

• boyfriend — парень (бойфренд)

Is your boyfriend coming to the party? – Твой парень придет на вечеринку?

• friend – друг

I trust him, he is my best friend. – Я доверяю ему, он мой лучший друг.

She has no friend in this town. – У нее нет друзей в этом городе.

• relatives – родственники

I have many distant relatives. – У меня много дальних родственников.

All my close relatives came to the wedding. – Все мои близкие родственники пришли на свадьбу.

• engagement – помолвка

Engagement is an agreement to marry someone. – Помолвка – это согласие на женитьбу.

They announced their engagement. – Они объявили о своей помолвке.

• marriage – женитьба, замужество, брак

They broke up after a year of marriage. – Они расстались после года брака.

• wedding – свадьба

Today is our wedding anniversary. – Сегодня годовщина нашей свадьбы.

• fiancée, bride – невеста

We are not married yet, she is my fiancée. – Мы еще не женаты. Она моя невеста.

The bride’s mother was not present at the wedding. – Мать невесты не присутствовала на свадьбе.

• fiancé, groom (bridegroom) – жених

That guy is Jane’s fiancé, they are getting married in two months. – Этот парень – жених Джейн, они женятся через два месяца.

The groom proposed a toast to the parents. – Жених предложил тост за родителей.

• funeral – похороны

The funeral will be held tomorrow. – Похороны пройдут завтра.

• birth – рождение

The date of birth. – Дата рождения.

Примечания:

1. Human, Man, Human being

Human — это человек как представитель человеческого рода. Man — это человек в обыденном, бытовом смысле, «кто-то из толпы» (в другом значении: мужчина). Также есть словосочетание human being — человеческое существо, представитель рода человеческого в более возвышенном смысле.

All human beings are born free. — Все представители человеческого рода рождаются свободными.

All humans by nature desire to know. — Всем людям от природы свойственна жажда знаний.

I know this man, he’s my neighbor. — Я знаю этого человека, он мой сосед.

Подробнее читайте в статье: «Разница между Man, Human, Human Being, Person, People».

2. Man, woman, children 

Эти три слова относятся к небольшой группе существительных, образующих форму множественного числа особым образом:

• man [mæn] — men [mɛn] ,
• woman [ˈwʊmən] — women [ˈwɪmɪn] ,
• child [ʧaɪld] — children [ˈʧɪldrən].

Нюансы свадебной лексики на английском

1. Engagement / Wedding / Marriage — в чем разница?

Помолвка или обручение (engagement) — это предварительный договор о заключении брака. После для, когда будущие муж и жена объявили о своей помолвке они считаются женихом (fiancée) и невестой (fiancé), о них говорят, что они обручены (engaged). Свадьба, как правило, происходит через несколько месяцев после помолвки.

Слово wedding значит «свадьба» как церемония бракосочетания, marriage — либо «брак, супружество», либо тоже «бракосочетание» (реже).

Вот примеры с этими тремя словами:

1. I proposed to Nancy yesterday. We are engaged, we just haven’t made a formal announcement. — Вчера я сделал Нэнси предложение. Мы помолвлены, мы просто не объявили об этом официально.

2. Two best friends become rivals when they schedule their weddings on the same day. — Две лучшие подруги становятся соперницами, когда назначают свои свадьбы на один и тот же день. (из описания фильма «Война невест» на www.imdb.com.)

3. It’s our first year of marriage. — Это наш первый год супружеской жизни.

4. The marriage must take place without delay. — Свадьба должна состояться без отлагательств.

2. Кто такие fiancée, fiancé, bride и bridegroom.

Жениха и невесту называют соответственно bride и bridegroom (или просто groom) уже на свадьбе. До свадьбы, в промежуток между помолвкой и свадьбой, их называют французскими словами fiancée (невеста) и fiancé (жених). Оба слова произносятся абсолютно одинаково, как и во французском (пример произношения).

Эти два слова заимствованы из французского языка, они пишутся и произносятся на французский манер. Символа é нет в английском алфавите, но он встречается в ряде заимствованных слов, (в основном редких) например: café (кафе), cliché (клише), а также в именах собственных: Beyoncé (Бейонсе).

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You’re about to learn ALL the family relationship names in English. While you’re here, check out Relation vs Relationship: Do You Know the Difference?

You already know some family relationship names in English: mother, father, brother, sister …

But what do you call your father’s sister’s daughter?

And what about your husband’s or wife’s brother?

Read on to learn the answers to these questions plus much more family vocabulary in English.

Nuclear Family

Your nuclear family is your immediate family.

Usually, it’s the family who lives together in one house and typically consists of a mother, father and their children.

But as you’ll see, it can get a little more complicated.

Children

Other words for “children”

Kids — This is a more informal and more common word.

Offspring — This one is very technical. It’s the sort of word biologists use when they’re talking about cows or rabbits.

Feel free to use this one ironically, if you like.

If you’re that sort of person.

I am.

Son

Other words for “son”

If a parent has more than one son, they often refer to them collectively as “my boys.”

“Don’t worry about me. My boys will look after me.”

If you want to talk about how many male kids you have, you can either say, for example, “I have two sons,” or “I have two boys.”

Daughter

Other words for “daughter”

You can also talk about “my girls” if you have more than one daughter.

“Have you met my girls? They’re all studying finance. Apart from Celine. She’s working on a time machine these days.”

And you can use “girls” to talk about how many kids someone has:

“She’s got 13 girls and five boys. She must be tired.”

Siblings

Wait! What does it mean?

A sibling is either a brother or sister.

So perhaps you have three brothers and eight sisters.

This means that you have eleven siblings. Which means you spend a lot of money on birthday presents.

Brother

Other words for “brother”

Another word for “brother” is “bro.”

It’s a nice, friendly word, and it shows that you’re close to your brother.

You can also use it with very close male friends to express closeness to them. It’s pretty informal and might make you sound a bit like a Californian surfer, but it’s friendly and fairly common.

“Hey bro! You going to Jasmine’s party tonight?”

If your brother was born on the same day as you (to the same mother), he’s your twin brother.

Sister

Other words for “sister”

We can shorten “sister” to just “sis.”

“Hi, sis! How’s it going?”

If your sister was born on the same day as you (to the same mother), she’s your twin sister.

Talking about older and younger siblings

Some of our brothers and sisters are younger than us, and some of them are older.

There are different ways we can express this.

Let’s imagine you’re like me, and you have an older sister and a younger brother.

OK? So of course you can say, for example, “Katarina’s my older sister.”

But you can also say, “Katarina’s my big sister.”

And what about Paolo?

Well, he’s your younger brother or your little brother.

You can also call him your “baby brother.” This is, of course, a fun way of talking about your younger brother. Don’t use it when you’re filling in a visa form or explaining who he is to the police when you pick him up from the police station.

You can, of course, do this the other way around: older brother, a big brother, a younger sister, a little sister and a baby sister.

Parents

Other words for “parents”

Another word for “parents” is “folks.”

“I’m visiting my folks this weekend.”

Mother

Other words for “mother”

Mum — This is quite informal and quite common. It’s the word I use when I talk about my mum, even if I’m talking to people I don’t know that well.

Mummy — This one is kind of childish and probably best used between a child and her mother. If you’re still using this at the age of 29, some people might consider it a little unusual.

Mom — This is very common in the US but not in the UK or Ireland or Australia … or anywhere else really. But there are a lot of Americans out there, so you might hear this from time to time.

Father

Other words for “father”

Dad — This one is like “mum.” It’s very common and is what most people in my family use. Except for my big brother, who was born in the ‘70s, when it was fashionable to call your parents by their first names. So he just says “Peter.”

Pop — This is only really used in the US. It’s got a nice sound to it, though, hasn’t it?

Pa / papa — A little old fashioned these days, but you still might hear this from time to time.

My old man — Some people refer to their father as “my old man.”

Husband

Other words for “husband”

Hubby — A nice, informal way of talking about your husband.

Wife

Other words for “wife”

I couldn’t think of any other words for “wife.” Certainly not “wifey.” Eugh!

Partner

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

When people talk about their partner, it could be a husband or a wife. But often it signals that these people aren’t married (or sometimes that they don’t feel the gender of their partner is important for the conversation).

Basically, we use it to mean “that person you love and have a relationship with.”

You might even share a toothbrush.

Other words for “partner”

A lot of these are quite romantic …

My other half — Nice, isn’t it?

My better half — Even better! I like using this one.

My significant other — See! Still romantic! Even a little poetic!

(Remember that with the three phrases above, we just say, e.g., “my significant other” or “my better half.” We don’t usually say, “I have a better half.” It sounds like you’re Dr Jekyll.)

Girlfriend / boyfriend — A few generations ago, if you said you had a girlfriend or a boyfriend, people wouldn’t think your relationship was that serious.

These days, that’s not the case as much. If you’re in a serious relationship, and you’re not married, then you can use these words.

Fiancée / fiancé — The person you’ve promised to marry. There’s probably a ring involved.

Notice that this is one of the very unusual situations in English where we have a different spelling for females (fiancée) and males (fiancé).

Spouse — This means husband or wife. It rhymes with “mouse.”

Stepfather / Stepmother / Stepdaughter / Stepson

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Let’s think about the nice family in the picture above.

Zerin is divorced and has a child, Filiz, from her first marriage.

She’s now married to Alexey, who also has a child from a previous marriage — Val.

So we have a household with four people living in it: Zerin and her daughter, Filiz; and Alexey and his son, Val.

How do we describe their relationships?

Zerin is Val’s stepmother, and Val is Zerin’s stepson.

Meanwhile, Alexey is Filiz’s stepfather, and Filiz is Alexey’s stepdaughter.

Half-brother / half-sister

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

But there’s more!

This family keeps on growing!

Alexey and Zerin have decided to have a kid together. They called her Simone.

OK. So of course Simone is Alexey and Zerin’s daughter.

But how is she related to Filiz and Val? They share one parent but not both parents.

Easy — Simone is their half-sister.

Foster son / Foster daughter / Foster mother / Foster father

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

But this family keeps on growing!

Zerin and Alexey have plenty of time and energy, and they really enjoy looking after people.

They’re happy with their three kids, but they want to help out other kids — kids who don’t have any parents or whose parents can’t look after them.

So they decide to take on a foster son, Desmond.

Having a foster son is usually a temporary situation. They’re not responsible for him for life, but they’ve agreed to look after him until his situation improves or until he can become independent.

You can have a foster son, a foster daughter, a foster mother or a foster father.

Extended Family

Uncle

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

An uncle can be one of four people:

1. Your mother’s brother
2. Your father’s brother
3. Your mother’s sister’s husband
4. Your father’s sister’s husband

A lot of languages have different words for each of these people. But not English — one word for all of these people!

Other uses of “uncle”

Can you remember when you were a kid, and there was this one guy who was always at your house?

And when you went out as a family, he sometimes came with you?

A close friend of your parents who spent a lot of time with you?

When there’s a close family friend like this, it’s common for the kids to call him “uncle Timmy” or “uncle Bernard” or uncle plus whatever his name is.

“We’re going out tonight, but don’t worry — uncle Sammy is going to stay and look after you.”

Aunt

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Your aunt can be one of four people:

1. Your mother’s sister
2. Your father’s sister
3. Your mother’s brother’s wife
4. Your father’s brother’s wife

One word for all of them! Efficient, right?

Other words for “aunt”

We can also say “auntie.” It’s closer and less formal.

Other uses of “aunt”

So, we can say “uncle Sammy,” even if Sammy isn’t your real uncle and just a good family friend.

Well, guess what!

You can also say “auntie Olga,” even if Olga is just your parents’ friend. She’s someone you trust like family and enjoy spending time with.

Cousin

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Your cousin is your uncle and aunt’s child.

In some languages, there are different words depending on which side of the family your cousin is, or whether your cousin is male or female.

Again, this is where English is pretty efficient.

We use one word for all of them!

They are all cousins!

Other words for “cousin”

If you want to be more casual and informal, you can say “cuz.”

“Ben? Oh, he’s my cuz.”

Niece

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Have you got a brother or sister with kids?

It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?

There’s this little person who’s very closely related to you, but who you’re not totally responsible for when he or she starts crying or vomiting everywhere. The best of both worlds!

If your brother or sister has a girl, then that’s your niece. (It rhymes with “piece.”)

Nephew

If your brother or sister has a boy, then that’s your nephew.

Grandfather

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Your mother’s father or your father’s father.

Other words for “grandfather”

Granddad — A little more common and less formal

Grandpa — Similar to granddad. The choice is yours!

Grandmother

Your mother’s mother or your father’s mother.

Other words for “grandmother”

Gran — A less formal way of saying “grandmother.”

Granny — So cosy, friendly and loving!

Grandma — Similar to “granny.”

Nanna — This is only common in some parts of the English-speaking world. You’ll hear it in northern England and Northeast US.

But be careful! In some countries, “nanna” can mean “godmother” (more about that later) and even “nanny,” which actually makes more sense, but is less common.

A quick note about “aunt,” “uncle,” “grandfather” and “grandmother”

In a lot of languages, people use family words like “aunt,” “uncle,” “grandfather” and “grandmother” to address old people in general — even people you don’t know.

For example, in Turkey, you might help an old lady get onto the bus and call her “auntie.”

But we don’t usually do this in English.

If you help an old lady get onto the bus in England and call her “auntie,” she’d be pretty surprised and might want someone else to help her.

Great-grandmother / great-grandfather

OK. What about your grandmother’s mother? Or your grandfather’s mother?

She’s your great-grandmother.

And her mother?

Your great-great-grandmother.

And her mother?

Your great-great-great-grandmother.

This can go on forever.

You do, of course, also get great-grandfathers, great-great-grandfathers, and so on.

Forever.

Grandparents / great-grandparents

You can also talk about your grandparents and great-grandparents.

Grandson / Granddaughter / grandchildren

OK. Let’s go in the other direction.

Your children’s children are your grandchildren — “granddaughters” for the girls and “grandsons” for the boys.

Great-grandson / great-granddaughter /great-grandchildren

And their kids?

They’re your great-grandchildren — a collection of great-grandsons and great-granddaughters.

This also probably makes you our oldest reader — so congratulations! Keep up the good work!

Great-uncle / great-aunt

OK. What about your grandfather’s sister?

That’s your great-aunt.

No prizes for guessing who your grandfather’s brother is …

That’s right, it’s your dogfather.

No — just joking. It’s your great-uncle.

These are the words most people use, however, they’re not technically correct. The “correct” terms are grand-aunt / grandaunt and grand-uncle / granduncle. Click here for more about this.

Godfather / godmother / godson / goddaughter

This originally started as a religious thing but is much more general now.

Traditionally, when a child was born, the parents chose a godfather and a godmother for the child.

They would be responsible for the child’s religious education.

But these days, godfathers and godmothers are just symbolic.

However, many kids don’t have godfathers or godmothers at all anymore.

Unless they’re in the mafia, of course.

Mother-in-law / Father-in-low / Sister-in-law / Brother-in-law …

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

If you want to talk about your wife’s or husband’s family, just add “in-law.”

So your wife’s sister? She’s your sister-in-law.

Your husband’s mum? She’s your mother-in-law.

You can take this to any extreme. So your wife’s cousin is your cousin-in-law.

We also have a phrase, “the in-laws,” to describe any or all of your husband’s or wife’s family as a group.

Perhaps it’s just the parents:

“The in-laws have invited us for dinner.”

Or the whole family.

“That was a big wedding. I met all of the in-laws.”

Distant Family

Distant cousins

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

One of our readers, Emma, actually asked us about this in the comments section of an older post, which led me to write this one.

Thanks, Emma!

So here we go …

First cousin, second cousin, third cousin …

Your cousin (as described earlier in the post) is technically your first cousin.

As you can see, your first cousin is your aunt’s or uncle’s child — you both have the same grandparents.

But what about your second cousin?

Your second cousin is your mother’s cousin’s child or your father’s cousin’s child — you both share the same great-grandparents.

This can continue forever — so your third cousin shares your great-great-grandparents.

By the time we get to fifth or sixth cousins, I’d imagine we’re starting to describe almost everyone in the world.

… once removed / … twice removed, etc.

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

This is all about generations — if the person is one generation away from you, she’s once removed; if she’s two generations away from you, she’s twice removed.

It can work going down the family tree or going up it.

Let’s go down first:

Do any of your first cousins have kids?

OK — those kids are your first cousins once removed.

“First cousin” because they’re the children of your first cousin.

“Once removed” because they’re one generation below you.

This can work upwards as well.

But not with first cousins. We already have a word for these people: aunt or uncle.

But think about your mother’s cousin (or your father’s cousin) again. This person is in your parents’ generation, right? So that’s your second cousin once removed — your second cousin’s parents.

By this logic, you can’t have a second cousin three times removed a generation up, because that’s just your great-grandfather or great-grandmother.

As you make the tree bigger and start looking at third cousins and fourth cousins, you can get some pretty complicated family phrases, like “fourth cousin three times removed.”

I mean, how many people know their fourth cousin three times removed? That would be one tight family.

By the way, we only use “once removed,” “twice removed,” etc., after “second cousin,” “third cousin,” and so on. We don’t say, e.g., “This is my second cousin; she’s twice removed.”

Removed from what?!

Other Words for Talking About Family

Finally, let’s look at some words that describe family generally.

Family

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

Of course we have the word “family.” But how can we use it?

This is actually quite a general term. It can refer to someone in your nuclear family / immediate family (like your sister or your dad) or your more distant family (like your fourth cousin twice removed — whoever that is).

When we talk about distant family, we can also use the phrase “extended family.”

Some companies also like to talk about themselves as a “family.” (Like the “Microsoft family” or the “Bosch family.”)

Personally, I find this awful — it’s like they’re suggesting that the company you work for is just as important as your actual family. Which they’re not.

Grrrr.

Other words for “family”

The fam — It’s a shorter, more informal way of talking about your family.

Relatives

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

“Relatives” is also a general term (like “family”).

There are close relatives — like sisters, aunts or cousins — and distant relatives — your great-great-uncle or your third cousin once removed, for example.

Other words for “relatives”

Rellies — A shorter, less formal word for “relatives.”

Ancestors

Wait — what exactly does it mean?

When we talk about our ancestors, we’re usually talking about our family in a more historical way.

Imagine the people living 100 or 200 (or 1,000 or 10,000) years ago. People who you’re related to but you just don’t really know about.

The word “family” has a lot of emotional meaning behind it. The word “ancestor” is more objective.

“My ancestors came from eastern Siberia and finally settled in southern Europe in the mid 16th century.”

Descendant

This is very similar to “ancestor.”

It’s used in a more historical, objective way.

What’s the difference between a descendant and an ancestor?

Well, an ancestor is someone who lived before, but a descendant is someone who lived after.

“I want my descendants to remember my work and keep my name!”

We can also use the passive phrase “descended from” to describe where someone’s family came from:

“Did you know that your mother’s side of the family is descended from pirates! Pretty cool, huh?”

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Phew! So that was ALL the family relationship names in English.

So now you should be able to do two things:

• Describe more people in your family — even distant relatives.
• Describe the people in your family in new and interesting ways.

Great work!

Let’s practice a little.

Tell me:

1. Who’s the most distant relative that you know?
2. Which one of your family members do you not see as often as you’d like?

Leave the answers in the comments!

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When it comes to learning English vocabulary topic, family is probably one of the most popular topics that we need to learn to be able to communicate fluently with other people.

So how many English words about family do you already know? Let’s check out our blog post below to test your family-related vocabulary and learn some more!

How to effectively learn English vocabulary about family

• Add eJOY eXtension to your Chrome

Download eXtension for free now

• Highlight any new word/ phrase to look up its meanings, definition, and pronunciation. Click on the blue +Add button to save the word to your wordbook.

• eJOY eXtension will help you learn vocabulary in context instead of learning every individual word.

English Vocabulary about Family

1. Theme 1 – Family

	Parent  noun /ˈpɛrənt/ a mother or father Example: Has Joe met your parents yet?
	Offspring noun /‘ɔf,sprɪŋ/ The immediate descendants of a person Example: She was the mother of many offspring.
	Sibling noun /‘sɪblɪŋ/ A person’s brother or sister Example: I have two siblings, one elder brother and one younger sister.
	Folks  noun /foʊks/ Your parents Example: He wrote to his folks every day.
	Husband noun /ˈhʌzbənd/ the man that somebody is married to; a married man Example: That was the day she met her future husband.
	Wife noun /waɪf/   the woman that somebody is married to; a married woman Example: I’ve never met William’s wife.

Let’s watch the video below about The Simpson’s introduction to review the words we’ve just learned!

2. Theme 2 – Relatives

	Grandmother noun /ˈɡrænˌmʌðər/ the mother of a person’s father or mother Example: My grandmother has readied the lunch before I got home.
	Grandson noun /ˈɡrænsʌn/ the son of a person’s son or daughter Example: He is the grandson of the director.
	Relative noun /ˈrɛlət̮ɪv/ a member of your family, especially one who does not live with you, for example, a grandparent or cousin Example: I traveled to Crete with his family to visit his relatives there.
	Uncle noun /ˈʌŋkl/ the brother of your mother or father, or the husband of your aunt Example: I’ve just become an uncle.
	Aunt noun /ænt/ the sister of your mother or father, or the wife of your uncle Example: My aunt is a poor person.
	Cousin noun /ˈkʌzn/ a child of your aunt or uncle, or, more generally, a distant (not close) relation Example: They are my cousin from Vietnam.
	Nephew noun /ˈnɛfju/ a son of your sister or brother, or a son of the sister or brother of your husband or wife Example: My nephew turns 2 today.
	Niece noun /nis/ a daughter of your brother or sister, or a daughter of your husband’s or wife’s brother or sister Example: My niece can draw very well.

Master the words above with this interesting video!

3. Theme 3 – The In-Laws

	Mother-in-law noun /ˈmʌðər ɪnˌlɔ/ the mother of your husband or wife Example: I don’t like my mother-in-law.
	Son-in-law noun /ˈsʌn ɪn lɔ/ the man who is married to your daughter Example: Her son-in-law is a nice guy.
	Daughter-in-law noun ˈdɔt̮ər ɪn lɔ/ the woman who is married to your son Example: She is my daughter-in-law.
	Brother-in-law noun /ˈbrʌðər ɪn lɔ/ The husband of your sister, or the brother of your husband or wife, or the man who is married to the sister of your wife or husband Example: I don’t know my brother-in-law very well.
	Sister-in-law noun /ˈsɪstər ɪnˌlɔ/ the sister of your husband or wife; your brother’s wife; the wife of your husband or wife’s brother Example: My sister-in-law is a friendly person.

NOTE:

• Plural case: two sons-in-law; three daughters-in-law; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law.
• Possessive case: my father-in-law’s house; my sister-in-law’s car.

Watch the video below to understand better about these words.

4. Theme 4 – The Extended Family & The Family Mix

	Stepmother noun /ˈstɛpˌmʌðər/ the woman who is married to your father but who is not your real mother Example: Cinderella’s stepmother is an evil woman.
	Stepchild noun /ˈstɛptʃaɪld/ a child of your husband or wife by an earlier marriage Example: Could a stepchild love their new mother?
	Stepsister noun /‘stɛp,brəðər/ a sister who has only one parent in common with you Example: She is my stepsister.
	Half-brother noun /hæf ˈbrʌðər/ a brother who has either the same mother or the same father as you Example: Michel’s half-brother is a famous singer.
	Adopt verb /əˈdɑpt/ to take another person’s child legally into your own family to raise as your own child Example: He was adopted when he was six.
	Orphan noun /ɔrfən/ a child who does not have parents Example: Steve Jobs was an orphan.
	Ancestor noun /‘ænsɛstər/ Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent) Example: Our ancestor discovered fire long time ago.
	Forefather noun /‘foʊr,fɑðər/ The founder of a family Example: We should keep the faith of our forefathers.
	Descendant noun /dɪ’sɛndənt/ A person considered as descended from some ancestor Example: Descendant of the Sun was a famous Korean series.
	Heir noun /ɜr/ A person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another Example: Paris Hilton is a rich heir of the Hilton family.
	Family tree noun /ˈfæmli ˈtri/ a drawing that shows all the members of a family, usually over a long period of time, and how they are related to each other. Example: Our family tree has been started over 100 years.
	Genealogy noun /,dʒini’ɑlədʒi/ Successive generations of kin Example: Genealogy study is the study or investigation of ancestry and family history.
	Godfather noun /ˈɡɑdˌfɑðər/ a male godparent Example: His godfather is really a gangster.
	Godchild noun /ɡɑd,ʧaɪld/ An infant who is sponsored by an adult (the godparent) at baptism Example: His godchild is an angel.

We’ve just learned quite a lot of English vocabulary about family. Let’s master all of them by practicing the exercises below.

Exercises

1. Multiple Choice

1. My mother’s daughter is my a. aunt b. cousin c. sister 2. My mother’s mother is my a. auntie b. great aunt c. grandmother 3. My father’s son is my a. uncle b. cousin c. brother 4. My step-mother’s son is my a. step-brother b. brother-in-law c. step-son 5. My brother’s daughter is my a. nephew b. niece c. cousin

6. My aunt’s children are my a. step-children b. cousins c. nephews and nieces 7. My grandpa’s father is my a. great uncle b. great grandpa c. great great grandpa 8. My dad’s brother is my a. uncle b. cousin c. brother-in-law 9. My sister’s husband is my a. brother-in-law b. sibling c. husband-in-law 10. My female spouse is my a. grandmother b. mother-in-law c.wife

2. Visual Vocabulary Practice

Choose a photo of your family, then try to figure out how you are related to each person in the photograph and how you call them in English.

(For example: grandmother, grandfather, mother…)

3. Reading Comprehension

Paul and Kerry McDonald would like to welcome their new son Christopher Casey to the clan! Weighing 4.2 kilograms, Chris was born on January 2nd at 3:30pm. He will join sister Rachel, 6 and brother Malcolm, 4 in the McDonald household in Vancouver, Canada. Christopher’s proud aunts Kathy McDonald and Sherry Smith were present at his birth. Grandparents, Lisa and Mike Smith were also present. Chris’s grandmother in Texas will be arriving soon to meet her new grandson. Cousins Jerry, Fern, and Lindsay can’t wait to meet baby Chris too! The proud parents would like to thank all of their extended family for the warm wishes and gifts.

• What is Christopher’s mother’s name?
• Who are Christopher’s siblings?
• How is Kathy McDonald related to the newborn?
• Who will be coming to see Chris soon?
• Who is Kathy in relation to Kerry?

Share your answers in the comment section below.

So above is our list of 33 essential English words about family. If you’d like to learn more vocabulary about other topics, then visit eJOY GO and get access to the 3000 Smart Word list. Happy learning and don’t forget to learn English vocabulary with eJOY eXtension!

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