To help you out with some basic words and the pronunciation for family member terms, we created a free lesson in our free-of-charge course. With enough practice, you’ll be able to talk about your parents and siblings in German like it’s nothing!
There are usually three situations when talking about family:
That means you need to describe who’s family you’re talking or inquiring about. This is done with possessives.
Similar to “my,” “yours,” “his” in English, in Germany we use meine, deine , and seine . To prepare you for the upcoming challenges associated with each of the situations outlined above, we’ve provided you with some basic questions and answers.
“Who is your mother?” | “This is my mother.” |
“Are your parents married?” | “No, my parents are divorced.” |
“How many siblings do you have?” | “I have two siblings, together we are three kids.” |
“Do you have a brother or a sister?” | “Yes, I have two brothers and one sister.” |
“What is the name of your brother?” | “My brother’s name is Peter.” |
“How old are your grandparents?” | “My grandma is sixty-five and my grandpa is seventy years old.” |
“Is she your wife?” | “Yes, this is my wife Eva.” |
Take a close look at how we used the possessive pronouns. They always have to be adapted to the person you’re talking about.
Everybody has family members outside of their immediate family. Below, we give you some family member terms that you’ll face every day while living with a German family. We won’t go into too much detail, as the half-sister of your siblings’ aunt isn’t really interesting anymore.
“the uncle” | |
“the aunt” | |
“the cousin” (m) | |
“the cousin” (f) | |
“the nephew” | |
“the niece” |
This doesn’t seem too hard to understand, does it? With all of the terms we’ve gone over so far, you’re almost ready to talk about your family in various contexts. There are some more things we’ll cover in the next chapters, but what we have so far are the closest family members.
Families are cute, and you can always hear little grandsons or granddaughters calling their grandparents “granny” or “grandpa.” Those are just a couple examples of so-called endearment terms , and of course we have them in Germany as well.
We’ll show you two quick ways to create endearment terms, and give you some examples. Before we go on, we want to let you know that this doesn’t work with all family members the same way.
The first way to create endearment terms in Germany is to cut the last letter(s) of the term, and replace it with the letter i . It’s no mistake that we mentioned it can be the last letter or letters . When the term ends with a vowel, you replace only the last letter. In any other case, you need to replace the last two letters.
Here are some examples:
Mama -> Mami “mother” -> “mom/mommy”
Mutter -> Mutti “mother” -> “mom”
Papa -> Papi “father” -> “daddy”
Vater -> Vati “father” -> “dad”
Opa -> Opi “grandmother” -> “granny”
Oma -> Omi “grandfather” -> “grandpa”
But there are also examples where it doesn’t work, such as:
Onkel -> Onki Tante -> Tanti Großmutter -> Großmutti (theoretically this works, but you’re never going to use this)
This might be the better-known form for any German learner. This one is a bit trickier and has some special rules. The basic rule is that you just add chen after each term. But be aware that when doing this, in some cases, if the word ends with a vowel, you have to cut this vowel before adding the chen . Or, if the word has a vowel in-between, you change it to ü , ö , or ä (instead of u, o, a).
Good examples are:
Großmutter -> Großmütterchen (grandmother -> grandma) Onkel -> Onkelchen Tante -> Tantchen (aunt -> auntie) Cousine -> Cousinchen
As you can see, sometimes there’s not even a proper English translation for the endearment term you can create in German. The good thing about this way of creating endearment terms is that you can use it with almost everything, and you’re not limited to people or family members. Take a look at these examples:
Bierchen from the word Bier (beer) Tischchen from the word Tisch (table) Tässchen from the word Tasse (cup)
It’s quite easy to introduce your family to another person in German. Let’s imagine ourselves sitting around a large table, where all the family is eating together, and a friend of yours arrives for the first time. You both stand in front of the table.
“This is my mother and this is my dad.” | |
“Over there are sitting my grandparents.” | |
“Next to them, you can see the brother of my mother, my uncle.” | |
“My cousin, the son of my aunt, he is not here today.” | |
“My granny unfortunately has already passed away.” |
The family is, for most Germans, one of the fundamental aspects of their lives. The family is an important part of every German . Children usually grow up close to their grandparents (who sometimes take care of their grandchildren when the parents are at work). Further, trust is a big thing for German families. But even with this strong bond, Germans are moving out of their parents’ home quite early to study, work, and become financially independent.
We’ve already mentioned that most German families are fairly small compared to those in other countries. Family size strongly depends on where you live, though. For instance, in the countryside, it’s normal for multiple generations to live on a big farm together, or even more than one family from one generation.
So it can be possible to find houses with up to ten people in the more rural areas, but even there, everybody has their own space and flat. You can live there with your parents, your grandparents, and maybe even your uncle’s family.
In the city, the situation is typically different, and families don’t live together. Everybody has their own flat or house, and don’t see each other in daily life.
Traditionally, the man is the head of the family. But let’s face it: this isn’t really how it works anymore. Women enjoy the same rights as men , and all decisions are made as a couple, or even among the entire family including children.
In the old days, it was common for people to get married after living together for a while. Now, you can find couples that stay together their whole lives and never get married. But trends are now coming back to the traditional way.
For some more information about German culture , we’ve prepared another lesson for you.
We hope that you got some helpful insight from our article about families in Germany, such as how to talk about family members. You now know a little bit about the typical family situation in Germany today, and how people are organizing their daily lives.
You should be able to talk about your immediate and extended family, introduce them to others, and talk to someone about them.
If you want to really boost your German skills, then we recommend our private teacher program which focuses on your personal goals based on your current level.
But we won’t leave you without making a quick gift to you. We have free-of-charge courses on GermanPod101.com for learners of every level:
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In this lesson, we introduce vocabulary and grammar related to talking about your family and yourself. You'll learn words and phrases that will let you talk about your own family in German, as well as understand what someone else says about his or her family. You can also listen to the vocabulary!
In addition to the members of a family ( die Familie , dee fah-MILL-yah), you'll learn how to ask someone's name (and answer), talk about family relationships and give the ages of people. We will also discuss the difference between the formal and informal "you" in German - a vital cultural and language distinction that English-speakers need to understand!
One of the first things you'll notice is that many of the German words for the family are similar to the English terms. It is easy to see the close Germanic language "family resemblance" between brother / Bruder , father / Vater , or daughter / Tochter . We call these similar words in two languages cognates . There are a lot of English-German cognates for the family. Others are familiar because of common Latin or French origins: family / Familie , uncle / Onkel , etc.
After you have studied this lesson, you will be able to read and understand a short paragraph in German about your or someone else's family. You'll even be able to draw your own family tree ( Stammbaum ) in German!
AUDIO : Click on the German phrases linked below to hear them.
Notice in the phrases below that when you talk about a feminine ( die ) person (or thing), the possessive pronoun mein ends in e . When talking about a masculine ( der ) person (or thing), mein has no ending in the nominative (subject) case. Other possessive forms ( sein , his; dein , your, etc.) work the same way. The final e in German is always pronounced: ( meine = MINE-ah)
- | mother - my mother |
- | father - my father |
- (pl.) | parents - my parents |
- | son - his son |
- | daughter - his daughter |
- | brother - her brother |
- | sister - his sister |
- (pl.) | siblings / brothers & sisters - my brothers and sisters |
- | grandmother - my grandmother |
- | grandma/granny - my grandma |
- | grandfather - your grandfather |
- | grandpa/gramps - his grandpa |
- | grandson - my grandson |
- | granddaughter - his granddaughter |
More family words in the German Family Glossary .
Wie groß ist deine Familie, Abdul?
Meine Familie ist wirklich groß. Ich habe fünf Geschwister. Mein Halbbruder ist älter als ich aber meine anderen vier Geschwister sind alle jünger.
1 Identity & Culture
1.1 Me, My Family & Friends
1.1.1 Describing Yourself
1.1.2 My Family
1.1.3 Personalities
1.1.4 My Relationship
1.1.5 Marriage
1.1.6 Divorce
1.2 Technology in Everyday Life
1.2.1 Social Media
1.2.2 Technology
1.3 Free-Time Activities
1.3.1 Music
1.3.2 Cinema & TV
1.3.4 Pantry
1.3.5 Eating Out
1.3.6 Sport
1.4 Customs & Festivals in German-speaking Countries
1.4.1 Holidays
1.4.2 Christian Festivals
1.4.3 Festivals in German-Speaking Countries
2 Areas of Interest
2.1 Home, Town, Neighbourhood & Region
2.1.2 Rooms in the House
2.1.4 Shops & Transport
2.1.5 Home Items
2.2 Social Issues
2.2.1 Alcohol
2.2.2 Drugs
2.2.3 Smoking
2.2.4 Smoking 2
2.2.5 Health
2.2.6 Health - 2
2.2.7 Volunteering
2.2.8 Race & Immigration
2.2.9 Hospital
2.3 Global Issues
2.3.1 Homelessness & Poverty
2.3.2 Littering
2.3.3 Land & Air Pollution
2.3.4 UV Rays & Acid Rain
2.3.5 Saving Resources
2.3.6 Nature Conservation
2.3.7 Nature Conservation 2
2.3.8 Sustainable Living
2.4 Travel & Tourism
2.4.1 Countries to Visit
2.4.2 Things to See
2.4.3 Planning a Holiday
2.4.4 Journey
3 Study & Employment
3.1 My Studies
3.1.1 Subjects
3.1.2 Your School
3.1.3 Types of School
3.2 Life at School
3.2.1 School Stress
3.2.2 Regular Day
3.3 Education Post-16
3.3.1 Future Plans
3.4 Jobs, Career Choices & Ambitions
3.4.1 Part-time Jobs & Work Experience
3.4.2 Job Hunt
3.4.3 Workplace
Jump to other topics
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Describing Yourself
Personalities
Imagine this scenario: You’ve just met someone new, and you want to introduce your family to them. But you don’t know the words in German to talk about your family members. This can make the situation quite awkward and complicated. Don’t worry, though – we’ve got you covered!
Spring German , a project I co-founded, made a great video on how you can speak about your family in German:
In this blog post, we’ll explore essential German vocabulary and phrases to help you talk about your family in German like a native speaker.
When learning a new language like German, one of the first things you’ll need to know is how to talk about your immediate family.
This includes words like “mother,” “father,” “parents,” “siblings,” “brother,” “sister,” “son,” and “daughter.” Knowing these basic German family words will help you get started on your language learning journey.
German | English |
---|---|
mother | |
father | |
parents | |
siblings | |
brother | |
sister | |
son | |
daughter | |
wife | |
husband | |
dad | |
mom |
These words are essential for introducing your immediate family members and talking about your nuclear family in German. Of course, learning the pronunciation of these words is just as important as knowing their meaning, so practice German pronunciation!
Once you’ve mastered the immediate family vocabulary, it’s time to extend your knowledge to include extended family members.
This is where you’ll learn words like “grandmother,” “grandfather,” “aunt,” “uncle,” and “cousin.”
These terms are important for discussing your larger family tree and family history in German.
German | English |
---|---|
grandmother | |
grandfather | |
aunt | |
uncle | |
male cousin | |
female cousin | |
grandparents | |
niece | |
nephew |
Why learn these new words? Well, they come in handy when you’re discussing family gatherings, traditions and heritage. It’s time to share your family stories with your new friends!
Introducing new people to your family can be a huge event. We all know the feeling of having the first interaction with in-laws and stepparents.
In German, there are specific terms for these family members that you’ll want to know. Familiarize yourself with words like “mother-in-law,” “father-in-law,” “son-in-law,” “daughter-in-law,” “stepmother,” and “stepfather” to make communication smooth, even in the most nerve-wracking situations.
German | English |
---|---|
mother-in-law | |
father-in-law | |
son-in-law | |
daughter-in-law | |
stepmother | |
stepfather |
Here’s how this could be used in a real-life scenario:
Sarah: Ich bin so aufgeregt, deine Familie heute kennenzulernen! Wie heißen nochmal deine Schwiegereltern? [I’m so excited to meet your family today! What are your in-laws’ names again?] Michael: Meine Schwiegermutter heißt Greta, und mein Schwiegervater ist Walter. [My mother-in-law is named Greta, and my father-in-law is Walter.] Michael: Meine Schwiegermutter wird sehr erfreut sein , dass du die richtigen Begriffe auf Deutsch kennst. Das zeigt Respekt für unsere Familientradition. [My mother-in-law will be very pleased that you know the correct terms in German. It shows respect for our family tradition.] Sarah: Ich habe hart daran gearbeitet, die Verwandtschaftsbezeichnungen zu lernen. Eine glückliche Schwiegermutter ist mir sehr wichtig! [I’ve worked hard to learn the family relationship terms. Having a happy mother-in-law is very important to me!]
In addition to nouns, it’s essential to learn verbs and expressions that will allow you to talk about your family in more detail. These phrases will help you describe relationships, discuss family dynamics, and share anecdotes about your loved ones.
German | English |
---|---|
I have two brothers. | |
My parents are divorced. | |
We are a big family. | |
My cousin is married. | |
My aunt has three children. | |
We are very close to each other. | |
My grandfather lives in the countryside. | |
My family is my strength. |
These phrases will help you communicate more effectively about your family in German. They’ll allow you to share personal stories, describe relationships, and express your feelings towards your loved ones.
Let’s take a look at how you can use these expressions in a dialogue:
Anna: Ich habe zwei Brüder. [I have two brothers.] Meine Eltern sind geschieden. [My parents are divorced.] Lena: Oh, das tut mir leid zu hören. Aber wenigstens seid ihr eine große Familie. [Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. But at least you are a big family.] Anna: Ja, genau. Meine Cousine ist auch verheiratet und meine Tante hat drei Kinder. [Yes, exactly. My cousin is also married and my aunt has three children.] Wir sind sehr eng miteinander verbunden. [We are very close to each other.] Lena: Das klingt wunderbar! Mein Opa lebt auf dem Land, daher sehen wir ihn nicht so oft. [That sounds wonderful! My grandfather lives in the countryside, so we don’t see him as often.] Anna: Ja, Familie ist einfach das Wichtigste. Meine Familie ist meine Stärke. [Yes, family is simply the most important thing. My family is my strength.]
Fill in the blanks with the correct German vocabulary based on the context provided.
This isn’t everything we have to offer: click the button to request access to our Full Practice Worksheet Library!
Learning to talk about family in German goes beyond just memorizing vocabulary lists. To master this important part of any language, it’s important to use effective learning techniques like Conversation Based Chunking method.
Conversation Based Chunking involves learning phrases and expressions in their full conversational context, rather than just studying isolated words. This mimics how we naturally learn a language from a young age – by hearing and repeating full expressions used in real-life situations.
When learning to discuss family in German, repeat the common phrases out loud, visualize the family situations they describe, and use them in practice conversations.
As you build up a mental database of these conversational chunks related to family, you’ll start putting them together more fluidly. Talking about your extended family, in-laws, and family histories in German will feel more natural over time.
I have one more tip for you: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – that’s all part of the language learning process!
Sign up now and get the German Conversation Based Chunking Guide in your inbox!
Lukas is the founder of Effortless Conversations and the creator of the Conversation Based Chunking™ method for learning languages. He's a linguist and wrote a popular book about learning languages through "chunks". He also co-founded the language education company Spring Languages, which creates online language courses and YouTube content.
Abbreviations in german: comprehensive list of 110 abkürzungen you can use anytime.
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My family is a small nuclear family that belongs to a middle-class family. My family consists of four members, a father, a mother, me and a little sister. Like other Indian families, we are not a big family. We live in Berlin, Germany, but my grandparents live in the countryside.
Whether you need to copy some sentences or use my examples as an inspiration, it is your choice. The examples that I'll show you below are structured as follows: First, you will find an example of a short essay in German. It shows you how you can describe your own family.
In this article, we will provide you with eight easy German essays for Beginners with English translation and vocabulary to help you get started. Meine Familie (My family) – Write about your family, including their names, occupations, and hobbies.
First, you will find an example of a short essay in German. It shows you how you can describe your own family. Since every family is different, I wrote some more examples for you to choose from. After the German part follows a part where I tell you in English what the German text is about.
A1 German Grammar: Learn how adjective declination after definite articles in nominative and accusative cases works. Practice by describing family members!
We created an overview of the most important family in German vocabulary words, such as your siblings, parents, and grandparents. The German is on the left, and the English equivalent is on the right.
In addition to the members of a family (die Familie, dee fah-MILL-yah), you'll learn how to ask someone's name (and answer), talk about family relationships and give the ages of people.
Key vocab. die Eltern - parents. der Vater - father. die Mutter - mother. die Großmutter, der Großvater - grandmother, grandfather. Stiefmutter, Stiefvater - stepmother, stepfather. der Onkel - uncle. die Tante - aunt. der Neffe - nephew.
Bongawonga German. 116 subscribers. 25. 4.2K views 7 years ago. Improve your pronunciation and listening skills by listening to me reading the first essay on my family to you. You can find my...
Explore 30+ phrases to talk about your family in German. Find vocabulary to help you discuss your family in German: die Mutter, der Vater & more!