VocabTally

Spanish Family Vocabulary: 12 Family Member Names

Introduce the people in your family and explain how they are related. These twelve family words cover parents, siblings, grandparents and a few other relatives, with examples that show gender, possessives and the difference between a person and a family group.

12 Family Member Names

madre

mother

padre

father

hermana

sister

hermano

brother

abuela

grandmother

abuelo

grandfather

hija

daughter

hijo

son

tía

aunt

tío

uncle

prima

female cousin

primo

male cousin

Family words in context

Use these sentences to connect family words with situations you can picture.

  1. Mi madre vive cerca del parque.My mother lives near the park.
  2. Tu padre prepara la cena.Your father prepares dinner.
  3. Mi hermana estudia medicina.My sister studies medicine.
  4. Su hermano trabaja en una tienda.His brother works in a shop.
  5. Nuestra abuela cuenta historias.Our grandmother tells stories.
  6. Mi abuelo cuida el jardín.My grandfather looks after the garden.
  7. Su hija tiene seis años.Her daughter is six years old.
  8. Mi hijo aprende a nadar.My son is learning to swim.
  9. La tía de Ana vive en Lima.Ana’s aunt lives in Lima.
  10. Mi tío viene el domingo.My uncle is coming on Sunday.
  11. Tu prima toca la guitarra.Your female cousin plays the guitar.
  12. Mi primo está de viaje.My male cousin is away travelling.

Talking about family

Mi and tu stay the same before a masculine or feminine singular noun. With more than one relative, use mis or tus: mis hermanas, tus abuelos. Remember that su may mean his, her, your or their; name the person when context is unclear.

Este es mi…

This is my…

Este es mi hermano.This is my brother.

Esta es mi…

This is my…

Esta es mi abuela.This is my grandmother.

Tengo…

I have…

Tengo dos hermanas.I have two sisters.

Es el … de…

He is …’s…

Es el padre de Lucía.He is Lucía’s father.

Looking at a family photograph

  1. Ana¿Quién aparece en esta foto?Who is in this photo?
  2. LuisMi abuela y mi abuelo.My grandmother and grandfather.
  3. Ana¿Y la mujer de la derecha?And the woman on the right?
  4. LuisEs mi tía, la hermana de mi madre.She is my aunt, my mother’s sister.
  5. Ana¿Tiene hijos?Does she have children?
  6. LuisSí, mi primo y mi prima.Yes, my male cousin and my female cousin.

Word families

Hermano → hermandad → hermanar connects a brother, brotherhood and bringing people together as siblings or partners. Abuelo → bisabuelo → abuelito links a grandfather, a great-grandfather and an affectionate diminutive. Hijo → ahijado connects a son with a godson. One known relative can unlock more family vocabulary. Un bisabuelo is your grandparent’s father.

Words people mix up

Padres can mean parents or several fathers, depending on context. Parientes means relatives, not specifically parents. Hermanos can mean brothers or a mixed group of siblings; hijos can mean sons or children. Name the individual relatives if you need to make a mixed group unambiguous.

Spain vs Latin America

In informal speech in Spain, tío and tía can refer to a person or be used like “mate,” without indicating a family relationship. For actual relatives, mi tío and mi tía work across Spanish-speaking countries.

Common phrases

  • mi hermana mayormy older sister
  • mi hermano menormy younger brother
  • los hijos de mi tíamy aunt’s children
  • visitar a los abuelosto visit the grandparents

Memory tips

Picture the accent in tío and tía as a branch linking your parent to an uncle or aunt on a family tree. Prima/primo follows the same a/o pattern as hermana/hermano. Put the two pairs side by side: sister and female cousin, brother and male cousin.

FAQ

How do you say parents in Spanish?

Mis padres usually means “my parents.” Mis parientes means “my relatives,” a broader group.

How do you say siblings in Spanish?

Hermanos can mean siblings or brothers. Hermanas specifically refers to sisters.

What is the difference between mamá and madre?

Both mean mother, but mamá is the familiar “mum” or “mom.” Keep the accent in mamá; madre is the more neutral relationship word.

Try one in the VocabTally quiz

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madre

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