Spanish Family Vocabulary for Beginners


Family is at the heart of many Spanish-speaking cultures. Learning how to talk about family members in Spanish helps you connect more deeply with others and understand everyday conversations. Let’s explore the most common family vocabulary — with English meanings and example sentences to help you remember them.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Basic Family Members

Spanish English Example Sentence
La familia The family Mi familia es grande. → My family is big.
El padre / papá Father / dad Mi papá trabaja mucho. → My dad works a lot.
La madre / mamá Mother / mom Mi mamá cocina muy bien. → My mom cooks very well.
El hijo Son Su hijo tiene diez años. → Her son is ten years old.
La hija Daughter Mi hija estudia en la universidad. → My daughter studies at the university.
Los padres Parents Mis padres son amables. → My parents are kind.

👫 Extended Family

Spanish English Example Sentence
El hermano Brother Mi hermano juega al fútbol. → My brother plays soccer.
La hermana Sister Tengo una hermana menor. → I have a younger sister.
El abuelo Grandfather Mi abuelo tiene ochenta años. → My grandfather is 80 years old.
La abuela Grandmother Mi abuela vive en México. → My grandmother lives in Mexico.
Los abuelos Grandparents Mis abuelos son muy cariñosos. → My grandparents are very loving.
El tío Uncle Mi tío es muy divertido. → My uncle is very funny.
La tía Aunt Mi tía cocina paella deliciosa. → My aunt cooks delicious paella.
El primo / la prima Cousin (male/female) Mis primos viven en España. → My cousins live in Spain.

💍 Immediate Family by Marriage

Spanish English Example Sentence
El esposo / marido Husband Su esposo es ingeniero. → Her husband is an engineer.
La esposa / mujer Wife Mi esposa es profesora. → My wife is a teacher.
El suegro / la suegra Father-in-law / Mother-in-law Mi suegro es muy simpático. → My father-in-law is very nice.
El cuñado / la cuñada Brother-in-law / Sister-in-law Mi cuñada vive cerca de aquí. → My sister-in-law lives nearby.

👶 Other Useful Words

Spanish English Example Sentence
El bebé Baby El bebé está durmiendo. → The baby is sleeping.
El nieto / la nieta Grandson / Granddaughter Tengo dos nietos. → I have two grandchildren.
La pareja Partner Su pareja es muy amable. → Their partner is very kind.
Los hermanos Siblings Tengo tres hermanos. → I have three siblings.

Grammar Tip: Gender and Plurals

In Spanish, family words change for gender:

  • -o usually means male (el abuelo, the grandfather)

  • -a usually means female (la abuela, the grandmother)

For plurals, add -s or -es:

  • hermano → hermanos (brothers / siblings)

  • tía → tías (aunts)

If a group includes both men and women, use the masculine plural:

  • Mis hermanos can mean my brothers or my brothers and sisters.

Practice Tip

Try describing your own family in Spanish:

Tengo una hermana, un hermano y dos primos.
(I have one sister, one brother, and two cousins.)

Final Thoughts

Learning family vocabulary is a great way to start speaking Spanish confidently. These words come up in everyday conversations — from introducing your relatives to talking about family traditions. Practice using them with friends or language partners, and soon you’ll feel right at home in Spanish!

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