Family Relationships in English & Names of Family Members

Table of family relationships in English!

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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

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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

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12 Words and Phrases with Examples

1. baby – a very young child

• I always do some housework when the baby is sleeping in the afternoon.

2. infant – a baby or very young child, newborn child

• My sister is 14 years old, but sometimes she acts like an infant.

3. toddler – a young child who has just learnt to walk

• Toddlers can walk, but they don’t always talk yet.

4. marriage – legal relationship between a husband and wife

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

• 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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