Do you know what they call family members in English? Although in theory it is very easy to learn, migrants and foreign students in English-speaking countries are often not entirely clear about it for one simple reason: they do not have their relatives nearby.
Of course, immediate family names are taught in any basic English course, or simply learned in everyday life. But what about extended family members? And we are referring to mothers-in-law, brothers-in-law, daughter-in-law or son-in-law… Those and also the closest ones, you will learn in this simple article.
Before we begin to enumerate the long list that concerns us, we must point out two very important things: familia is family and parientes is relatives. Those two words encompass all the people with whom we share blood ties, but we will have to be more specific.
In English, the word “family” refers to a group of people related by blood, marriage or adoption. It is a universal term that encompasses parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
However, it is important to note that “family” is not limited only to blood ties. It can also include close friends or anyone with whom we share a strong emotional bond. On the other hand, the term “relatives” is used to describe extended family beyond our immediate circle.
This includes distant cousins, in-laws and other relatives who may not be as close to us as our immediate family members. Therefore, it is imperative to differentiate between family and relatives when creating content that resonates with readers.
Family members in English
First we will refer to the members of the immediate family: father, mother, children, siblings… Then we will extend the links to other people who make up our family.
Immediate family or immediate family in English
English – Spanish
- Mom – Mom
- Dad – Dad
- Mother – Mother
- Father – Father
- Parents – Parents
- Sister – Sister
- Brother – Brother
- Siblings – Siblings (either sex)
- Daughter – Hija
- Son – Son
- Children – Hijos
- Wife – Esposa
- Husband – Esposo
Extended family
These are family members who are not necessarily the ones who grew up with you, but who share your same blood roots.
English – Spanish
- Aunt – Tía
- Ancle -Uncle
- Great-aunt – Great-aunt
- Great-uncle – Great-uncle
- Niece – Niece
- Nephew – Nephew
- Male cousin – Primo
- Female cousin – Prima
- Cousin – Cousin (either sex)
- Grandmother – Abuela
- Grandfather – Grandfather
- Grandparents – Grandparents
- Great-grandmother – Great-grandmother
- Great-grandfather – Bisabuelo
- Great-great-grandmother – Great-great-grandmother
- Great-great-grandfather – Tatarabuelo – Great-great-grandfather
- Great-great-grandparents – Great-great-grandparents
Political family in English
By in-laws, we refer to those who are related to us by marriage to members of our family.
- Stepmom – Stepmother
- Stepdad – Stepfather
- Step-sister -Sisters
- Step-brother – Step-brother
- Mother-in-law – Suegra
- Father-in-law
- Parents-in-law – In-laws
- Daughter-in-law
- Son-in-law – Nuero
With these names of family members in English, you will have more than enough to get by effectively and durably in English.
This will help you not only to study the language, but also to relate better with people if you are in an English-speaking country.
How to memorize family members in English?
At Lingua Language Center, we believe that the best way to memorize these words is to practice them with pencil, paper and reality. So it would be perfect to simply try to construct sentences in English based on reality so that we take on the language.
Example:
Valeria es mi hermana – Valeria is my sister.
Juan es mi suegro – Juan is my Father-in-law.
If you found this information valuable, write to us! We are ready to give you all the information you need to start learning English as soon as possible.