Introduction
Family is one of the first topics in any language course and for good reason — talking about the people in your life is something you'll do constantly. Spanish family vocabulary also introduces you to gendered noun pairs naturally.
Immediate Family (La Familia Inmediata)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el padre | father |
| la madre | mother |
| los padres | parents |
| el hijo / la hija | son / daughter |
| los hijos | children (sons & daughters) |
| el hermano / la hermana | brother / sister |
| los hermanos | siblings |
| el esposo / la esposa | husband / wife |
Extended Family (La Familia Extendida)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el abuelo / la abuela | grandfather / grandmother |
| los abuelos | grandparents |
| el nieto / la nieta | grandson / granddaughter |
| el tío / la tía | uncle / aunt |
| el primo / la prima | cousin |
| el sobrino / la sobrina | nephew / niece |
| el suegro / la suegra | father-in-law / mother-in-law |
| el cuñado / la cuñada | brother-in-law / sister-in-law |
Other People
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el amigo / la amiga | friend |
| el novio / la novia | boyfriend / girlfriend |
| el vecino / la vecina | neighbor |
| el compañero / la compañera | companion / classmate / colleague |
| el bebé | baby |
| el niño / la niña | boy / girl |
| el hombre | man |
| la mujer | woman |
| el joven / la joven | young person |
| el anciano / la anciana | elderly person |
Describing People
Physical appearance
- Es alto/alta. — He/She is tall.
- Tiene el pelo negro. — He/She has black hair.
- Tiene los ojos verdes. — He/She has green eyes.
- Es delgado/delgada. — He/She is thin.
Personality
- Es simpático/simpática. — He/She is nice.
- Es divertido/divertida. — He/She is fun.
- Es trabajador/trabajadora. — He/She is hardworking.
- Es tímido/tímida. — He/She is shy.
Remember: Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun. Mi hermana es alta but mi hermano es alto.
Talking About Your Family
- Tengo dos hermanos. — I have two siblings.
- Mi madre se llama Ana. — My mother's name is Ana.
- Somos cuatro en mi familia. — There are four of us in my family.
- Mi hermana mayor vive en Madrid. — My older sister lives in Madrid.
- Soy hijo único / hija única. — I'm an only child.
Practice
How do you say 'grandparents' in Spanish?
'Mi prima' refers to your…
How do you say 'My brother is tall'?
'Los hijos' can mean…