A1 · Beginner Vocabulary
Talking about your family is one of the first conversations you will have in German. Here are the key family words (die Familie) with pronunciation and audio, each with its article.
Tap 🔊 to hear each word spoken in German.
Close family (die Kernfamilie)
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| die Mutter | dee MOOT-er | mother |
| der Vater | dair FAH-ter | father |
| die Eltern | dee EL-tern | parents |
| der Sohn | dair zohn | son |
| die Tochter | dee TOKH-ter | daughter |
| der Bruder | dair BROO-der | brother |
| die Schwester | dee SHVES-ter | sister |
| die Geschwister | dee ge-SHVIS-ter | siblings |
| das Kind | das kint | child |
Wider family (die Verwandtschaft)
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| die Oma | dee OH-mah | grandma |
| der Opa | dair OH-pah | grandpa |
| die Großmutter | dee GROHS-moot-er | grandmother |
| der Großvater | dair GROHS-fah-ter | grandfather |
| die Tante | dee TAN-te | aunt |
| der Onkel | dair ON-kel | uncle |
| der Cousin | dair koo-ZEN | cousin (male) |
| die Cousine | dee koo-ZEE-ne | cousin (female) |
Partners
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| der Mann | dair man | man / husband |
| die Frau | dee frow | woman / wife |
| der Ehemann | dair AY-e-man | husband |
| die Ehefrau | dee AY-e-frow | wife |
| das Baby | das BAY-bee | baby |
Tip: to say „my“ you match the noun’s gender — mein Vater (m), meine Mutter (f), mein Kind (n). Learning each word with der/die/das makes this automatic. See our der, die, das guide.
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