Family members vocabulary in German, covering key family roles, examples, and usage tips for beginner to intermediate learners.

Family members play a central role in everyday conversation, and knowing the right vocabulary helps you talk about your relatives, ask questions, and understand others. This guide covers the most common German words for family members, along with example sentences to show how they’re used in context.

Immediate Family

These are the closest relatives in the family, including parents, siblings, and children.

Singular (Gender)	Plural	German Example	English Example
der Vater (m.)	die Väter	Mein Vater ist Arzt.	My father is a doctor.
die Mutter (f.)	die Mütter	Meine Mutter kocht gern.	My mother likes to cook.
der Sohn (m.)	die Söhne	Der Sohn spielt Fußball.	The son plays soccer.
die Tochter (f.)	die Töchter	Die Tochter liest ein Buch.	The daughter is reading a book.
der Bruder (m.)	die Brüder	Ich habe einen Bruder.	I have a brother.
die Schwester (f.)	die Schwestern	Sie hat drei Schwestern.	She has three sisters.

Die ___ liest ein Buch.

What is the German word for 'daughter'?

die Schwester

die Tochter

die Mutter

die Cousine

die Tochter

The German word for 'daughter' is 'die Tochter'. 'Die Schwester' is sister, 'die Mutter' is mother, and 'die Cousine' is female cousin.

Extended Family

These relatives are beyond the immediate family but still important in many cultures.

Singular (Gender)	Plural	German Example	English Example
der Großvater (m.)	die Großväter	Mein Großvater ist 80 Jahre alt.	My grandfather is 80 years old.
die Großmutter (f.)	die Großmütter	Die Großmutter backt Kekse.	The grandmother bakes cookies.
der Onkel (m.)	die Onkel	Mein Onkel wohnt in Berlin.	My uncle lives in Berlin.
die Tante (f.)	die Tanten	Meine Tante ist Lehrerin.	My aunt is a teacher.
der Cousin (m.)	die Cousins	Mein Cousin kommt zu Besuch.	My cousin is coming to visit.
die Cousine (f.)	die Cousinen	Meine Cousine studiert Medizin.	My cousin is studying medicine.

Meine ___ studiert Medizin.

What is the German word for 'cousin' (female)?

die Tante

die Cousine

die Schwester

die Cousine

'Die Cousine' means female cousin in German. 'Die Schwester' is sister, and 'die Tante' is aunt.

In-Laws

These are family members you gain through marriage.

Singular (Gender)	Plural	German Example	English Example
der Schwiegervater (m.)	die Schwiegerväter	Mein Schwiegervater ist nett.	My father-in-law is nice.
die Schwiegermutter (f.)	die Schwiegermütter	Die Schwiegermutter besucht uns.	The mother-in-law visits us.
der Schwager (m.)	die Schwäger	Mein Schwager ist Musiker.	My brother-in-law is a musician.
die Schwägerin (f.)	die Schwägerinnen	Meine Schwägerin wohnt nah.	My sister-in-law lives nearby.

Common Relationship Terms

These words describe family roles and relationships in a more general way.

Singular	Plural	German Example	English Example
der Elternteil	die Elternteile	Jeder Elternteil hat Verantwortung.	Every parent has responsibility.
das Kind	die Kinder	Jedes Kind braucht Liebe.	Every child needs love.
der Partner	die Partner	Mein Partner ist sehr verständnisvoll.	My partner is very understanding.
die Partnerin	die Partnerinnen	Meine Partnerin arbeitet viel.	My partner (female) works a lot.
der Verwandte	die Verwandten	Wir treffen alle Verwandten.	We meet all the relatives.
die Verwandte	die Verwandten	Sie ist eine entfernte Verwandte.	She is a distant relative.

Example Sentences

Here are some common ways to talk about family members in German.

German	English
Wo ist deine Schwester?	Where is your sister?
Meine Eltern sind im Urlaub.	My parents are on vacation.
Hast du Geschwister?	Do you have siblings?
Wir besuchen unsere Großeltern.	We are visiting our grandparents.
Mein Onkel hat einen Hund.	My uncle has a dog.
Die Tante kommt morgen.	The aunt is coming tomorrow.

Knowing these family terms will help you join conversations, ask about others, and share your own family story—all in German!

Flashcards (1 of 28)

Singular (Gender): der Vater (m.)
Plural: die Väter

English Example: My father is a doctor.

Next Up: Describing Family

Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025

German

Family Members