In German, two important nouns for family relationships are Familie and Verwandtschaft. While they both relate to familial bonds, they are used in different contexts:
- Familie: Refers to the immediate family—parents, children, and sometimes siblings. It emphasizes the nuclear family unit.
- Verwandtschaft: Covers all relatives, including both close and extended family members (e.g., cousins, aunts, uncles). It denotes kinship or relatives in a broader sense.
| Term | Meaning | Typical Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Familie | Family (nuclear) | Immediate family | Meine Familie ist klein. |
| Verwandtschaft | Relatives/Kinship | All family connections, including extended | Unsere Verwandtschaft ist groß. |
Understanding the difference helps you use these words correctly in conversations about family.
- Familie = Close (nuclear) family
- Verwandtschaft = Relatives/kinship (including extended family)