Family Relationships

Basic words:

- father – somebody’s male parent
- mother – somebody’s female parent
- parent – somebody’s father or mother
- son – somebody’s male child
- daughter – somebody’s female child
- husband – the man who a woman is married to
- wife – the woman who a man is married to
- spouse – somebody married to another person; husband or wife
- brother – a boy or man who has the same parents as another person
- sister – a girl or woman who has the same parents as another person
- sibling – a brother or sister
- elder brother/sister – a brother/sister who is older than you
- younger brother/sister – brother/sister who is younger than you
- grandfather – somebody’s parent’s father
- grandmother – somebody’s parent’s mother
- grandparent – somebody’s parent’s parent
- great grandfather – a father of your grandparent
- great grandmother – a mother of your grandparent
- grandson – somebody’s son’s or daughter’s son
- granddaughter – somebody’s son’s or daughter’s daughter
- grandchild – somebody’s son’s or daughter’s child
- uncle – somebody’s mother’s or father’s brother; your aunt’s husband
- aunt – somebody’s mother’s or father’s sister; your uncle’s wife
- nephew – somebody’s brother’s or sister’s son; your husband’s or wife’s brother’s or sister’s son
- niece – somebody’s brother’s or sister’s daughter; your husband’s or wife’s brother’s or sister’s daughter
- cousin – somebody’s parent’s brother’s or sister’s child; somebody’s aunt’s or uncle’s child
- stepfather – your mother’s husband (not your real father)
- stepmother – your father’s wife (not your real mother)
- stepbrother – your stepfather’s or stepmother’s son (at least one of your parents is different)
- stepsister – your stepfather’s or stepmother’s daughter (at least one of your parents is different)
- stepson – your spouse’s son (from an earlier marriage)
- stepdaughter – your spouse’s daughter (from an earlier marriage)
- father-in-law – your spouse’s father
- mother-in-law – your spouse’s mother
- brother-in-law – your spouse’s brother
- sister-in-law – your spouse’s sister
- son-in-law – your daughter’s husband
- daughter-in-law – your son’s wife
- boyfriend – a boy or man that a girl or woman goes out with
- girlfriend – a girl or woman that a boy or man goes out with
- widow – a woman whose husband has died
- widower – a man whose wife has died
- bachelor – a man who has never been married
- spinster – a woman who has never been married
- single – a person who isn’t married and doesn’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend


+ 12 Words and Phrases with Examples

1. baby – a very young child
Ex: "I always do some housework when the baby is sleeping in the afternoon."

2. infant – a baby or very young child, newborn child
Ex: "My sister is 14 years old, but sometimes she acts like an infant."

3. toddler – a young child who has just learnt to walk
Ex: "Toddlers can walk, but they don’t always talk yet."

4. marriage – legal relationship between a husband and wife
Ex: "She only has a stepdaughter from her husband’s first marriage, but she likes her as her own."

5. marry (sb), get married to sb – become somebody’s husband or wife
Ex: "My father was 29 and my mother was 25 when they got married."

6. go out (with sb) – spend time with somebody and have a romantic or sexual relationship with them
Ex: "My parents had been going out for two years before they got married." -  "My mother doesn’t like that I go out with Tom; she says he’s too old for me."

7. get engaged – agree to marry somebody
Ex: "Imagine, my sister has just got engaged to a footballer, they’re planning to get married in the summer."

8. wedding – the act of marrying, a marriage ceremony (and the meal or party that usually follows it)

9. bride – a woman on her wedding day, or just before or just after it

10. (bride)groom – a man on his wedding day, or just before or just after it
Ex: "The prince’s wedding ceremony will take place in the cathedral. Then the bride and the groom will be taken to the wedding reception in an open Rolls Royce."

11. honeymoon – a holiday taken by a couple who have just got married
Ex: "We couldn’t go to the Bahamas on honeymoon, but we felt sitting on the top of the world even in a campsite at the local lake."

12. divorce – the legal ending of a marriage; end your marriage legally
Ex: "Unfortunately, very many marriages end in a divorce in our country."  -  "She divorced her husband immediately when she learned he had a secret girlfriend."  -  "My friend and his wife got divorced at last, after long years of quarrel and disagreement."

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