Immediate family
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mother / mum (UK) / mom (US) | your female parent |
| father / dad | your male parent |
| parents | your mother and father together |
| sister | a female sibling |
| brother | a male sibling |
| son | your male child |
| daughter | your female child |
| husband | a married man |
| wife | a married woman |
| partner | a boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse |
| baby | a very young child |
Extended family
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| grandmother / granny / nan | your parent's mother |
| grandfather / grandad / grandpa | your parent's father |
| grandparents | grandmother and grandfather together |
| aunt | your parent's sister |
| uncle | your parent's brother |
| cousin | the child of your aunt or uncle |
| nephew | your brother's or sister's son |
| niece | your brother's or sister's daughter |
| step-mother | your father's wife (not your birth mother) |
| step-brother | your step-parent's son |
| half-sister | a sibling who shares one parent with you |
Tip Informal words are common in everyday speech: mum/dad, granny/grandad, sis, bro. Use formal words (mother, father) in writing and formal speech.
Possessives with family words
| Phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| my mother | My mother works as a teacher. |
| his brother | His brother is three years older. |
| her daughter | Her daughter is in Year 6. |
| their parents | Their parents live abroad. |
| our grandparents | Our grandparents visit every Sunday. |
Useful questions about family
| Question | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Do you have any brothers or sisters? | I have one sister and two brothers. |
| How many people are in your family? | There are four of us. |
| What does your father do? | He's an engineer. |
| Are you an only child? | Yes, I'm an only child. |
Real world: introducing your family
"This is my mum, Sarah, and my dad, Tom. I have one older sister called Emma and a younger brother called Jack." — describing your family is one of the most common conversation topics when meeting people, especially in schools and language classes.
Practice Problems
What is the word for your parent's sister?
Show answer
aunt
What is the informal British word for 'mother'?
Show answer
mum
Complete: Your uncle's son is your ___.
Show answer
cousin
What is the female equivalent of 'nephew'?
Show answer
niece