Learn to name your family in 5 different languages!

May 15 is the day the world celebrates the International Day of Families, marking this date as a great occasion to remember why your family is important to you and to make them feel valued and loved.

Photo via Pixabay

 

In addition to your mother, father, brother, and sister, there are dozens of other family members whom you can celebrate. And if you love languages, then why not impress them by speaking to them using some foreign linguistics? Discover how to name not only your immediate family but also distant relatives in popular languages, such as Spanish, Italian, German, and Mandarin. We’ll even teach you how to say something about them by using phrasal verbs and adjectives. Let’s go!

 

Nouns

The table below features how to name your immediate and extended family in 5 different languages:

Definition English Spanish German Italian Portuguese
 

 

The children of your aunts and uncles.

 

Cousins

 

Primos/primas

 

Cousins

 

Cugini

 

Primos/primas

 

Your siblings’ daughter/son.

Niece/nephew Sobrino/Sobrina Neffen Nipote Sobrinho/Sobrinha
 

If you have children, their sons and daughters will be your grandchildren.

 

Grandchildren Nietos Enkelkinder Nipotes Netos
 

The parents of your parents.

Grandparents Abuelos  

Großeltern

 

Nonni Avós
 

Your partner (husband or wife).

Spouse Cónyuge  

Ehepartner

 

 

Coniuge

 

 

Cônjuge

 

 

Collective word for brothers and sisters.

Siblings Hermanos  

Brüder

 

Confratelli  

Irmãos

 

 

 

Your parents’ sister/brother.

 

 

Aunt/Uncle

 

 

Tía/Tío

 

 

Tante

 

 

Zia/Zio

 

 

Tia/Tio

 

 

Some other nouns

Immediate family: The people who live with you (husband/wife and children; parents and siblings).

  • Spanish: familia cercana.
  • German: unmittelbaren Familie.
  • Italian: famiglia immediata.
  • Portuguese: Família imediata

Extended family: The family members beyond your immediate or nuclear family, such as your aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc.

  • Spanish: familia lejana.
  • German: entfernte Familie
  • Italian: famiglia lontana.
  • Portuguese: família grande.

In-laws: The relatives of your partner. For example, your spouse’s father will be your father-in-law, their mother is your mother-in-law, and so on.

  • Spanish: familia política (suegro, suegra).
  • German: erweiterter Familienkreis
  • Italian: famiglia politica (suocero, suocera)
  • Portuguese: familia política (sogro, sogra).

 

Adjectives:

Here is also a list of positive and negative adjectives you can use to describe your family members:

English Spanish German Italian Portuguese
Loyal Leal Treu Leale Fiel
Generous Generoso Großzügig Generoso Generoso
Frank Franco Ehrlich Franco Honesto
Friendly Amigable Freundlich Amichevole Amigáveis
Independent Independiente Unabhängig Indipendente Independente
Boring Aburrido Langweilig Noioso Entediante
Careless Descuidado Leichtsinnig Negligente Descuidado
Jealous Celoso Eifersüchtig Geloso Com Ciumes
Selfish Egoísta Egoistisch Egoista Egoísta

 

 

Phrasal verbs in Spanish

Want to know a bit more of Spanish? Learn more about useful verbs to talk about your family and describe your relationship with your relatives:

  • Bring someone up: criar.

Example: mi mamá crió 2 hijos.

  • Be named after: nombrar.

Example: Me nombraron José por mi papá.

  • Grow apart: Alejarse.

Example: Después de una pelea, nos alejamos.

  • Get along with somebody: llevarse bien.

Example: Me llevo bien con mi papá, tenemos muchas cosas en común.  

  • Look after: Cuidar.

Example: Siempre cuido a mi abuela, está enferma.

  • Tell off:

Example: Mi papá me reta cuando no lavo los platos.

  • Split up: separarse.

Example: Mis padres se separaron después de una discusión.