Describing family in Spanish, including key vocabulary for talking about family members, relationships, and common descriptive phrases.
Describing family in Spanish involves using specific vocabulary for family members, understanding how to talk about relationships, and applying descriptive phrases to share information about your family.
Family Member Vocabulary
Here are the most common family member terms in Spanish, covering immediate relatives and some extended family.
| Spanish Noun (Singular/Plural) | English Noun (Singular/Plural) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mamá/mamás | mom/moms | Mi mamá es muy amable. | My mom is very kind. |
| papá/papás | dad/dads | Mi papá cocina bien. | My dad cooks well. |
| hermano/hermanos | brother/brothers | Tengo un hermano mayor. | I have an older brother. |
| hermana/hermanas | sister/sisters | Mi hermana vive en Madrid. | My sister lives in Madrid. |
| abuelo/abuelos | grandfather/grandfathers | Mi abuelo es muy sabio. | My grandfather is very wise. |
| abuela/abuelas | grandmother/grandmothers | Mi abuela hace galletas. | My grandmother makes cookies. |
| tío/tíos | uncle/uncles | Mi tío es doctor. | My uncle is a doctor. |
| tía/tías | aunt/aunts | Mi tía viaja mucho. | My aunt travels a lot. |
| primo/primos | cousin (m.)/cousins | Mi primo es atleta. | My cousin is an athlete. |
| prima/primas | cousin (f.)/cousins | Mi prima estudia música. | My cousin studies music. |
Talking About Relationships
Use these phrases to explain how people are related in Spanish.
| Spanish Phrase | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| es mi … | is my … | Ella es mi hermana. | She is my sister. |
| es hijo/hija de … | is the son/daughter of … | Juan es hijo de Ana. | Juan is Ana's son. |
| es hermano/hermana de … | is the brother/sister of … | Carla es hermana de Luis. | Carla is Luis's sister. |
| es esposo/esposa de … | is the husband/wife of … | Mario es esposo de Julia. | Mario is Julia's husband. |
| son gemelos/gemelas | are twins | Son gemelas idénticas. | They are identical twins. |
| está casado/casada con … | is married to … | Mi tía está casada con Pedro. | My aunt is married to Pedro. |
| es viudo/viuda | is widowed | Mi abuelo es viudo. | My grandfather is widowed. |
| tiene (n) … años | is … years old | Mi abuela tiene 80 años. | My grandmother is 80 years old. |
Describing Family Members
Use these adjectives and phrases to describe your family members in Spanish.
| Spanish Adjective/Phrase | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mayor | older | Mi hermano mayor es alto. | My older brother is tall. |
| menor | younger | Tengo una hermana menor. | I have a younger sister. |
| único/única | only | Soy hija única. | I am an only daughter. |
| cariñoso/cariñosa | loving | Mi mamá es muy cariñosa. | My mom is very loving. |
| estricto/estricta | strict | Mi papá es un poco estricto. | My dad is a bit strict. |
| divertido/divertida | fun | Mi tío es muy divertido. | My uncle is very fun. |
| trabajador/trabajadora | hardworking | Mi abuela es trabajadora. | My grandmother is hardworking. |
| inteligente | intelligent | Mi primo es muy inteligente. | My cousin is very intelligent. |
| amable | kind | Mi hermana es muy amable. | My sister is very kind. |
Common Descriptive Phrases
These phrases help you give more details when describing family in Spanish.
| Spanish Phrase | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiene el pelo … | has … hair | Tiene el pelo rubio. | She has blond hair. |
| tiene los ojos … | has … eyes | Tiene los ojos verdes. | He has green eyes. |
| es de … | is from … | Mi familia es de México. | My family is from Mexico. |
| vive en … | lives in … | Mi hermano vive en Barcelona. | My brother lives in Barcelona. |
| trabaja como … | works as … | Mi padre trabaja como ingeniero. | My father works as an engineer. |
| le gusta … | likes … | A mi madre le gusta leer. | My mother likes to read. |
| somos … | we are … | Somos cinco en mi familia. | There are five of us in my family. |
| nos llevamos bien | we get along well | Nos llevamos muy bien. | We get along very well. |
Summary
Describing family in Spanish requires:
- Using family member vocabulary (e.g., mamá, tío, primo).
- Explaining relationships with phrases like "es mi hermana" or "está casado con…".
- Adding details with adjectives (mayor, cariñosa) and common descriptive phrases (tiene el pelo…, vive en…).
This foundation allows you to talk naturally about your family in Spanish.
Flashcards (1 of 35)
- English Noun (Singular/Plural): mom/moms
- English Example: My mom is very kind.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
