Spanish Family Vocabulary

Start with the most common words, then expand your knowledge with intermediate and advanced vocabulary.

Beginner (A1)

family la familia
mother la madre
father el padre
mom la mamá
dad el papá
parents los padres
son el hijo
daughter la hija
boy/child el niño
girl/child la niña
brother el hermano
sister la hermana
baby el bebé
grandfather el abuelo
grandmother la abuela
grandparents los abuelos
uncle el tío
aunt la tía
cousin (male) el primo
cousin (female) la prima
husband el marido
wife la esposa
spouse el esposo

Elementary (A2)

relative el pariente
relatives los familiares
grandson el nieto
granddaughter la nieta
nephew el sobrino
niece la sobrina
partner/couple la pareja
brother-in-law el cuñado
sister-in-law la cuñada
father-in-law el suegro
mother-in-law la suegra
stepfather el padrastro
stepmother la madrastra
twin el gemelo

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

ancestor el antepasado
descendant el descendiente
lineage el linaje
nuclear family la familia nuclear
extended family la familia extendida
single-parent family la familia monoparental
adoption la adopción
custody la custodia
divorce el divorcio
marriage el matrimonio
spouse el cónyuge
firstborn el primogénito
generation la generación
family tree el árbol genealógico

Example Sentences

In the context of a market. With highlighted verbs and adjectives.

Beginner & Elementary (A1-A2)

Everyday family conversations using basic A1/A2 family vocabulary.

Mi madre vive conmigo. My mother lives with me.
Yo tengo un hermano y una hermana. I have a brother and a sister.
Mi padre trabaja en una oficina. My father works in an office.
Nosotros visitamos a mis abuelos los domingos. We visit my grandparents on Sundays.
Mi hermana tiene un bebé pequeño. My sister has a small baby.
Mi familia es grande. My family is big.
Mi abuelo es mayor. My grandfather is older.
Mi hermano es joven. My brother is young.
Mi prima es amable. My cousin is kind.
Mi familia es unida. My family is close.

Intermediate & Advanced (B1-C1)

Family relationships and social topics using intermediate and advanced vocabulary.

Mis padres adoptaron a mi hermano cuando era pequeño. My parents adopted my brother when he was young.
La pareja decidió formar una familia. The couple decided to start a family.
Mis abuelos cuentan historias de sus antepasados. My grandparents tell stories about their ancestors.
La familia mantiene contacto después del divorcio. The family keeps in touch after the divorce.
Muchas familias celebran sus tradiciones juntas. Many families celebrate their traditions together.
La familia extendida es importante en muchas culturas. Extended family is important in many cultures.
Su relación familiar es muy cercana. Their family relationship is very close.
El árbol genealógico es bastante complejo. The family tree is quite complex.
La custodia compartida es una situación común. Shared custody is a common situation.
El matrimonio tradicional sigue siendo popular. Traditional marriage is still popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

Essential tips on introducing family members, describing relationships, understanding regional differences, and using common Spanish family expressions.

These basic expressions help you introduce family members, describe relationships, and talk about people close to you:

Mi familia... (My family...) — Used to introduce your family. Example: Mi familia es grande. (My family is big.)
Tengo... (I have...) — Used to talk about family members. Example: Tengo dos hermanos. (I have two brothers.)
Mi madre / Mi padre... (My mother / My father...) — Common ways to introduce parents. Example: Mi padre vive en Madrid. (My father lives in Madrid.)
Es mi hermano / hermana. (He/She is my brother/sister.) — Used to identify family members.
Mis abuelos... (My grandparents...) — Used when talking about grandparents. Example: Mis abuelos viven cerca. (My grandparents live nearby.)
Tengo una familia pequeña. (I have a small family.) — Used to describe family size.
Somos cinco en mi familia. (There are five people in my family.) — Used to say how many people are in your family.

Spanish uses simple words and expressions to explain how family members are connected:

Mi hermano mayor (My older brother) — Example: Mi hermano mayor tiene 25 años. (My older brother is 25 years old.)
Mi hermana menor (My younger sister) — Example: Mi hermana menor estudia medicina. (My younger sister studies medicine.)
Hijo único (Only child) — Example: Soy hijo único. (I am an only child.)
Mis padres (My parents) — Used for mother and father together. Example: Mis padres trabajan mucho. (My parents work a lot.)
Familia cercana (Close family) — Example: Tengo una familia cercana. (I have a close family.)
Familia extendida (Extended family) — Includes grandparents, uncles, cousins, and other relatives.

Family words are mostly understood across the Spanish-speaking world, but some countries use different informal terms or have regional preferences:

Mom: In Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and most Spanish-speaking countries, mamá is standard. In Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, mami is also commonly used as an affectionate term.
Dad: Papá is used everywhere. In Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and other Latin American countries, papi is often used affectionately. In Spain, papá is more common in everyday speech.
Grandparents: Abuelo and abuela are universal. In Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and other countries, affectionate forms like abuelito and abuelita are very common.
Brother/Sister: Hermano and hermana are used throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In Mexico and Central America, informal shortened forms like mano can sometimes be heard among friends.
Child: In Spain, niño and niña are common. In Mexico, chamaco or chamaca may be used informally. In Argentina and Uruguay, pibe and piba are common informal words for young people.
Son/Daughter: Hijo and hija are universal. In Mexico, Colombia, and Central America, parents may use affectionate forms like mijo or mija (short for mi hijo / mi hija).
Family: Familia is universal, but in countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Peru, people often use la familia broadly to include grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

These adjectives help you describe family size, relationships, and personalities:

Grande: Big/large — Mi familia es grande. (My family is big.)
Pequeño/a: Small — Tengo una familia pequeña. (I have a small family.)
Cercano/a: Close — Tengo una relación cercana con mi hermana. (I have a close relationship with my sister.)
Amable: Kind — Mi abuela es muy amable. (My grandmother is very kind.)
Joven: Young — Mi hermano es joven. (My brother is young.)
Mayor: Older/elder — Mi hermano mayor vive aquí. (My older brother lives here.)
Unido/a: Close-knit/united — Mi familia es muy unida. (My family is very close.)

These verbs are useful for talking about family life, relationships, and important events:

Tener: To have — Tengo dos hermanos. (I have two brothers.)
Vivir: To live — Vivo con mis padres. (I live with my parents.)
Visitar: To visit — Visito a mis abuelos. (I visit my grandparents.)
Casarse: To get married — Mis padres se casaron jóvenes. (My parents got married young.)
Tener hijos: To have children — Quieren tener hijos. (They want to have children.)
Cuidar: To take care of — Cuido a mi hermano pequeño. (I take care of my younger brother.)
Adoptar: To adopt — La familia adoptó un niño. (The family adopted a child.)

Spanish Family Vocabulary