📝Family and Friends

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Family and Friends

Introduction

In this lesson, you'll learn how to talk about your family members and friends in German. This essential vocabulary will help you describe your relationships and engage in basic conversations about family life.

Basic Vocabulary

Family Members

German	English	Pronunciation
die Mutter	mother	[ˈmʊtɐ]
der Vater	father	[ˈfaːtɐ]
die Schwester	sister	[ˈʃvɛstɐ]
der Bruder	brother	[ˈbʁuːdɐ]
die Großmutter	grandmother	[ˈɡʁoːsmʊtɐ]
der Großvater	grandfather	[ˈɡʁoːsfaːtɐ]
die Tante	aunt	[ˈtantə]
der Onkel	uncle	[ˈɔŋkl̩]
die Cousine	cousin (female)	[kuˈziːnə]
der Cousin	cousin (male)	[kuˈzɛ̃ː]

Friends and Relationships

German	English	Pronunciation
der Freund	friend (male)	[fʁɔɪ̯nt]
die Freundin	friend (female)	[ˈfʁɔɪ̯ndɪn]
der Partner	partner (male)	[ˈpaʁtnɐ]
die Partnerin	partner (female)	[ˈpaʁtnəʁɪn]
der Nachbar	neighbor (male)	[ˈnaːxbaːɐ̯]
die Nachbarin	neighbor (female)	[ˈnaːxbaːʁɪn]

Family Tree Practice

Immediate Family

die Mutter (mother)
der Vater (father)
die Schwester (sister)
der Bruder (brother)

Extended Family

die Großmutter (grandmother)
der Großvater (grandfather)
die Tante (aunt)
der Onkel (uncle)

Using Family Vocabulary in Context

Q: Hast du Geschwister?
A: Ja, ich habe eine Schwester und einen Bruder.

Q: Wer ist das?
A: Das ist meine Mutter.

Q: Wie viele Geschwister hast du?
A: Ich habe zwei Schwestern.

Grammar Notes

Family Nouns

• Most family nouns have different forms for male and female
• Family nouns use the definite article (der/die)
• When talking about your own family, use the possessive pronoun (mein/meine)

Pronunciation Tips

• "sch" is pronounced like "sh" in English
• "ei" is pronounced like "eye"
• "ie" is pronounced like "ee"

Cultural Notes

Cultural Insight

In German-speaking countries:

• Family is very important in German culture
• It's common to live close to extended family
• Family gatherings often happen on Sundays
• Children typically address their parents as "Mama" and "Papa"

Interactive Practice

1. Family Member Recognition

Which word means 'mother'?

Which word means 'brother'?

Which word means 'grandmother'?

Practice Exercises

1. Speaking Practice

• Say the names of your family members
• Practice asking about someone's family
• Practice introducing your family members
• Practice describing your family size

2. Writing Practice

Write out:

• Your immediate family members
• Your extended family members
• A short description of your family
• Questions to ask about someone's family

3. Listening Practice

• Listen to the audio samples
• Try to identify family members
• Practice the pronunciation

Vocabulary List

German	English	Example
Hast du Geschwister?	Do you have siblings?	Ja, ich habe eine Schwester.
Wie viele Geschwister hast du?	How many siblings do you have?	Ich habe zwei Brüder.
Das ist meine...	This is my...	Das ist meine Mutter.
Wer ist das?	Who is that?	Das ist mein Vater.
meine Familie	my family	Das ist meine Familie.

Next Steps

• Practice using family vocabulary in conversations
• Try describing your family tree
• Move on to Hobbies and Activities when you're ready
• Complete the homework exercises

Homework

1. Create a family tree in German
2. Write a short paragraph about your family
3. Practice asking and answering questions about family
4. Complete the online exercises