Discussing your family or about the family, die Familie (dee fâ-mee-lee-e) is a great way to get to know someone. Some people may even feel prompted to show their photos of family members. However, talking at great length about little Gretchen and Hansi, Jr. is a far less popular pastime in Germany than in America. It just may have to do with the value Germans place on privacy. At any rate, another reason you’re not likely to fall asleep gazing at endless baby pictures is that the birth rate in Germany is very low.
The Family (die Familie) Annotated English-German Glossary
The glossary is structured so you can easily find the German vocabulary you’re looking for. It’s in alphabetical order based on the English words and the German includes the necessary gender options and, quite often, the plural (p) so you can use them in various contexts.
The Complete Guide to Learn German Months, Seasons, Days, and Dates
You’ll also find helpful tips throughout the glossary. These annotations can clue you into special terms and usages for certain German words.
| Englisch | Deutsch |
| A | |
| ancestor – ancestors | der Vorfahre/die Vorfahrin – die Vorfahren |
| aunt – aunts | die Tante – die Tanten |
| B | |
| baby – babies | das Baby – die Babys |
| blended family (-ies) | die Fortsetzungsfamilie (-n) |
| Blended family: e.g., a continuing family, serial family, a family with children from a previous marriage. | |
| boy – boys | der Junge – die Jungen |
| brother – brothers | der Bruder – die Brüder |
| brother-in-law – brothers-in-law | der Schwager – die Schwäger |
| C | |
| child – children We have no children. We have three children. |
das Kind – die Kinder Wir haben keine Kinder. Wir haben drei Kinder. |
| cousin (f.) – cousins | die Kusine – die Kusinen die Base (an old-fashioned term) |
| cousin (m.) – cousins | der Cousin – die Cousins der Vetter – die Vettern |
| D | |
| dad – dads | der Vati – die Vatis |
| daughter – daughters | die Tochter – die Töchter |
| daughter-in-law – daughters-in-law | die Schwiegertochter – die Schwiegertöchter |
| F | |
| family – families | die Familie – die Familien |
| family tree – family trees | der Stammbaum – die Stammbäume die Stammtafel – die Stammtafeln die Ahnentafel – die Ahnentafeln |
| father – fathers | der Vater – die Väter |
| forefather – forefathers | der Vorfahre/die Vorfahrin – die Vorfahren |
| G | |
| genealogy | die Genealogie, die Ahnenforschung |
| girl – girls | das Mädchen – die Mädchen |
| Mädchen, like all German nouns ending in -chen or -lein, is neuter gender even though it means “girl.” A similar example would das Fräulein for “miss” or an unmarried woman. | |
| grandchild – grandchildren | das Enkelkind – die Enkelkinder |
| granddaughter – granddaughters | die Enkelin – die Enkelinnen die Enkeltochter – die Enkeltöchter |
| grandfather – grandfathers | der Großvater – die Großväter |
| grandmother – grandmothers | die Großmutter – die Großmütter |
| grandma/granny – grandmas | die Oma – die Omas |
| grandpa/gramps – grandpas | der Opa – die Opas |
| grandparents | die Großeltern (Pl.) |
| grandson – grandsons | der Enkel – die Enkel der Enkelsohn – die Enkelsöhne |
| greatgrandfather(s) | der Urgroßvater (-väter) |
| great- (prefix) | Ur- (as in Urgroßmutter) |
| H | |
| half brother – half brothers | der Halbbruder – die Halbbrüder |
| half sister – half sisters | die Halbschwester – die Halbschwestern |
| husband | der Mann, Ehemann die (Ehe)Männer (Pl.) |
| M | |
| Marital Status | der Familienstand |
| bachelor | der Junggeselle |
| divorced (adj.) | geschieden |
| divorcee | der/die Geschiedene |
| married (adj.) | verheiratet |
| single, unmarried (adj.) | ledig, unverheiratet |
| widowed (adj.) | verwitwet |
| widow | die Witwe |
| widower | der Witwer |
| mom – moms | die Mutti – die Muttis |
| mother – mothers | die Mutter – die Mütter |
| N | |
| nephew – nephews | der Neffe – die Neffen |
| niece – nieces | die Nichte – die Nichten |
| P | |
| parents | die Eltern (Pl.) |
| partner (m.) – partners | der Partner – die Partner |
| partner (f.) – partners | die Partnerin – die Partnerinnen |
| R | |
| related | verwandt |
| to be related to someone | mit jemandem verwandt sein |
| the relations, relatives | die Verwandtschaft |
| relative – relatives | der/die Verwandte – die Verwandten |
| all my/our/the relatives | die ganze Verwandtschaft |
| to be one of the family | zur Verwandtschaft gehören |
| We’re not related. | Wir sind nicht verwandt. |
| S | |
| siblings / brothers & sisters | die Geschwister (Pl.) |
| “Do you have any brothers or sisters? = “Haben Sie Geschwister?“ | |
| significant other, life partner | der Lebensgefährte / die Lebensgefährtin |
| In addition to Lebensgefährte, another word for “significant other” or “life partner” is Partner (above). | |
| sister – sisters | die Schwester – die Schwestern |
| sister-in-law – sisters-in-law | die Schwägerin – die Schwägerinnen |
| son – sons | der Sohn – die Söhne |
| son-in-law – sons-in-law | der Schwiegersohn – die Schwiegersöhne |
| stepfather – stepfathers | der Stiefvater – die Stiefväter |
| stepdaughter – stepdaughters | die Stieftochter – die Stieftöchter |
| stepmother – stepmothers | die Stiefmutter – die Stiefmütter |
| stepson – stepsons | der Stiefsohn – die Stiefsöhne |
| step- (prefix) | Stief- (as in Stiefbruder, etc.) |
| U | |
| uncle – uncles | der Onkel – die Onkel |
| W | |
| wife – wives | die Frau, Ehefrau – die (Ehe)Frauen |
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