Understanding family member terms is essential in any language, as they are frequently used in daily conversations and help describe relationships accurately.
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| der Vater | father | Plural: die Väter |
| die Mutter | mother | Plural: die Mütter |
| der Bruder | brother | Plural: die Brüder |
| die Schwester | sister | Plural: die Schwestern |
| der Sohn | son | Plural: die Söhne |
| die Tochter | daughter | Plural: die Töchter |
| der Großvater / Opa | grandfather / grandpa | Plural: die Großväter / Opas |
| die Großmutter / Oma | grandmother / grandma | Plural: die Großmütter / Omas |
| der Onkel | uncle | Plural: die Onkel |
| die Tante | aunt | Plural: die Tanten |
| der Cousin | cousin (male) | Plural: die Cousins |
| die Cousine | cousin (female) | Plural: die Cousinen |
| die Eltern | parents | (Plural only) |
| die Geschwister | siblings | (Plural only) |
Summary:
- German family terms often have distinct singular and plural forms, with some requiring umlauts in the plural.
- Both formal and informal terms exist for some relatives (e.g., Großvater vs. Opa).
- Understanding gendered nouns and their articles is crucial for correct usage.
Exercises
- Match the German terms with their English equivalents: Vater, Schwester, Onkel, Tante, Großmutter.
- What are the plural forms of: Bruder, Tochter, Großvater?
- How do you say “cousin” for both male and female in German?