Family vocabulary in English. Children about family in English

For each of us, family is the most precious thing there can be. Often, when meeting people, we are asked to talk about how we live, about our family, about our parents. If you are learning English, then let this topic help you talk about your family. How can children tell about their family in English?

This topic will also be useful for children. Because at the end school course English speaking, a child must have a certain knowledge of topics that he can talk about, build a dialogue, and tell. The theme of family is one of them.

Each family ( family), usually consists of several people. Sometimes these are some distant relatives, godparents, etc. But now we will look at the most basic family members in English, parents and close relatives ( parents and close relatives). So, let's figure out who is who in the family in English:

• Grandfather (grandpa, granddad) - grandfather
• Grandmother (grandma, granny) - grandmother
• Father (daddy, dad) - father
• Mother (mummy, mum, mom) - mother
• Sister - sister
• Brother - brother
• Son - son
• Daughter - daughter
• Uncle - uncle
• Aunt - aunt
• Cousin - cousin/cousin

It is important for children to be able to tell something about each family member. Who is who by profession, what hobbies, etc. In English it can be done something like this:

• My father is a builder. He builds houses. He is strong and clever. — My father is a builder. He builds houses. He is strong and smart
• My mother is a teacher. She likes children and she likes to read books. — My mother is a teacher. She loves children and loves to read books
• My granny doesn't work. She is pensioner. She tells very interesting fairy tales. - My grandmother does not work. She is a pensioner. She tells very interesting tales
• I have a sister. She is a university student. She likes sports. - I have a sister. She is a university student. She likes sports.

If we are talking about spouses (spouses), here they are in English:

• Husband - husband, husband
• Wife - wife, spouse

Pay attention to example sentences with these words:

• I love my husband, he is the best. — I love my husband, he is the best
• John's wife is very hard-working. — John's wife is very hardworking.

Also, we would like to bring to your attention a small set of words that relate to more distant relatives. It will be interesting and useful not so much for children as for beginners learning English. So:

• Father-in-law - father-in-law, father-in-law
• Mother-in-law - mother-in-law, mother-in-law
• Daughter-in-law - daughter-in-law
• Son-in-law - son-in-law
• Stepfather - stepfather
• Stepmother - stepmother
• Stepbrother - stepbrother
• Godfather - godfather
• Godmother - godmother
• Godson - godson
• Goddaughter - goddaughter

Examples of sentences with these words and their translation into Russian:

• My son got married; now I have a daughter-in-law. — My son got married, now I have a daughter-in-law
• My father-in-law is a very wise man. — My father-in-law is a very wise man
• I am going to visit my godfather. — I'm going to visit my godfather.

Family members in English and example sentences with them

How to talk about family in English?

This is very important for children. This topic is often found in textbooks, on exams, and in simple conversation. The words we cited above, as well as a few more details, will help you talk about your family.

Describe each member of your family, tell us what they are interested in, where they work. Tell us about each of them's hobbies. Briefly tell us about family traditions and holidays, and what you do when you get together. Don't forget to mention yourself, because you are also a member of your family.

So, you can tell about your family something like this:

My family is not big. We are four: my father, my mother, my brother and I. My father is a doctor, he treats people. He likes his work very much. Also he is fond of taking pictures.
My mother is an economist. She likes mathematics. When she has some free time, she cooks very tasty cakes. We always help her all around the house.
My brother is a university student. He is learning to be a doctor like our father. He is also a good sportsman, he plays tennis and football.
My name is Alex, I am a pupil. I also like sport and reading books.
I like when our family gets together. Then we discuss films and books, listen to the music. On weekends we visit our grandparents. In summer we go to the seaside or to the mountains.
I love my family very much. It is the best family in the world.

If you have any difficulties with the translation, here it is:

My family is not big. There are four of us: my father, my mother, my brother and me. My father is a doctor, he treats people. He loves his job very much. He is also interested in photography.
My mother is an accountant. She loves mathematics. When she has free time, she cooks very delicious cakes. We always help her around the house.
My brother is a university student. He is studying to be a doctor, like our dad. He is also a good athlete, he plays tennis and football.
My name is Alex, I am a student. I also love sports and reading books.
I love when our family gets together. Then we discuss films and books, listen to music. On weekends we visit our grandparents. In summer we go to the sea or to the mountains.
I love my family very much. This is the best family in the world.

This or something like this is how you can talk about your family in English. I repeat that this topic is very important for the lexicon. Practice doing this with your child, using our text as a template.

We wish you good luck!

1 Names of family members in English (voiced words, transcription)

Click on an English word to listen (or listen in the player)

Other words:

parents– parents; children- children; grandparents- Grandfather and grandmother; grandchild(pl. grandchildren) – grandson, granddaughter (grandchildren); grandson- grandson; granddaughter- granddaughter; great-grandchildren (great-grandson, great-granddaughter) – great-grandchildren (great-grandson, great-granddaughter)

twins– twins, twins; twin-brother- twin brother; twin-sister- twin sister; cousin- cousin, cousin, cousin, cousin

step-father– stepfather; step-mother– stepmother; step-son- Foster-son; step-daughter– stepdaughter

wife– wife; husband- husband; widow– widow; widower– widower; father-in-law- father-in-law, father-in-law; mother-in-law- mother-in-law, mother-in-law; son-in-law– daughter’s husband, son-in-law; daughter-in-law– son’s wife, daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law

2 Video with English vocabulary on the topic: family members

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3 Features of the use of words denoting family members in English

1. Nouns mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, grandmother etc., denoting relatives, belong to the group of words that are used with the indefinite article to denote family relations:

I have got a brother- I have a brother.
Doesn't have an aunt- He has an aunt.

If the words mother, father refer to the speaker’s relatives, they are usually used without an article and written with a capital letter:

Mother is not in yet- (My) mother has not come yet.
Father is not up yet- (My) father hasn’t gotten up yet.

The rest of the words in this group ( aunt, uncle, sister, cousin, brother), as a rule, are used with a subsequent proper noun or a preceding possessive pronoun: Aunt Lucy, Uncle Bob.

2. When talking about someone’s relatives, they use a possessive pronoun (even when using proper names): Is your uncle Bob coming?

3. Proper names in the plural, denoting members of the same family, are used with the definite article: the Petrovs (Petrovs), the Forsytes (Forsytes).

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Not in English grammatical category gender of nouns. Nouns belong to one gender or another based on their meaning. Thus, many nouns denoting relatives indicate gender. For example, nouns father, brother, son, nephew, uncle, grandfather belong to the masculine gender. And nouns mother, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, grandmother belong to the feminine gender.
An external indicator of the gender of a noun in English is the use of personal (or possessive) pronouns when replacing a noun: he/ He ( his) – for the masculine gender; she/ she ( her) – for the feminine gender; it/ he she it ( its) – for the neuter gender.
Adjectives, pronouns and articles in English do not change their form when used with nouns denoting persons of different genders: my little brother/my little brother and my little sister/my little sister

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5 Songs about family in English

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6 Family and its members in English idioms

member of a family– family member
to clothe/feed/support a family– clothe/feed/support the family
nuclear family– nuclear family (consisting only of parents and children)
extended family– extended family (including, in addition to parents and children, other close relatives)
single-parent/one-parent/single-parent family– single-parent family
to start a family- have children
to raise a family- raise and educate children
in the family way– pregnant
family feud- family feud
family room– common room (in the apartment), living room
family circle– 1) home, family circle; 2) American theater. gallery; balcony
family allowance– benefits for large families
family Bible– family Bible (on blank sheets of which dates of birth, marriage and death are recorded)
family likeness– family resemblance
family name- surname; common name in the family
family estate- family estate
family man- family man; homebody

mother-craft- ability to raise children
nursing mother- nursing mother
welfare mother- Amer. single unemployed woman receiving benefits for small children
the mother of all– colloquial smb. unsurpassed, exceptional, e.g. mother of all bombs- "mother of all bombs"
every mother's son- all without exception, every single one
mother wit– natural intelligence, ingenuity
Mother's day– annual holiday in honor of mothers

penny-father- miser, miser
Father of Waters- Amer. "father of waters", Mississippi River
Father Thames- Mother Thames
the father and mother of– colloquial something extremely large in scale, something reaching the extreme degree of manifestation
father figure- a person whom the child loves and respects as his own father
natural father- father of an illegitimate child
Father's Day– an annual holiday in honor of fathers (celebrated on the third Sunday in June in the United States)
Father Christmas- Father Frost
the Holy Father- Pope
the father of lies- bibliography father of lies (about the devil)
to be gathered to one's fathers- bibliography venerate your fathers, die
the father of faith/the faithful- bibliography father in faith, father of all believers (oh Old Testament patriarch Abraham)

sob sister- Amer. writer of sentimental or sensational articles, stories
weak sister– a group member in need of help; laggard
soul sister– sister by skin color, black sister
big/older sister- elder sister
kid/little/younger sister- younger sister
full sister– legal full sister
out sister– a nun who does some work outside the monastery

Brother Jonathan- joking. Yankee (nickname for Americans)
soul brother- brother in spirit
sworn brothers- sworn brothers, sworn brothers
brother of the brush– fellow artist (artist)
brother of the quill– fellow writer (writer)
brother in arms– brother in arms (one who participated in a war or battle with someone)
craft-brother- fellow craftsman
blood brother- blood brother
big/older brother- Older brother
kid/little/younger brother- younger brother
brother german- brother
brother-sister corporation– branches of the same company in relation to each other

only son- The only son
to marry off a son- marry your son
natural son- bastard son
sons of soil- farmers, peasants
son of a gun– colloquial guy, small; intl. Damn it)!
the sons of men- bibliography sons of men; human race; humanity, people
prodigal son- bibliography prodigal son

to marry off a daughter- marry off daughter
daughter nation- descendant people

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7 Proverbs about family in English

Like father, like son.
Like the father, like the son.

A tree is known by its fruit.
A tree is known by its fruits.

Many a good father has but a bad son.
Many good fathers have bad sons.

There is a black sheep in every family.
There is a "black sheep" in every family.

Blood is thicker than water.
Blood is thicker than water.

Charity begins at home.
Charity begins with your family. (Whoever thinks about relatives will not forget strangers.)

One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
One father is better than a hundred teachers.

A miserly father makes a prodigal son.
A stingy father will raise his son to be a spendthrift.

Treat your family like friends and your friends like family.
Treat family like friends and friends like family.

Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.
Every father must remember that one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.

Blood will tell.
The blood will tell.

Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
Don't teach your grandmother to eat eggs.

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8 Games, songs, stories in English with words denoting family members (flash)

Origin of some English words denoting kinship

Original English vocabulary makes up about 30% of the total vocabulary of the English language, but it is precisely this vocabulary that reflects the most ancient concepts. It is customary to distinguish three groups of native English vocabulary. The first of them consists of words dating back to the Indo-European layer. In turn, words of Indo-European origin form several fairly clear semantic groups. One of these groups is the group of kinship terms ( father, mother, brother, son, daughter). For example, English term kinship father has correspondences in the Gothic language (fadar), in modern German (Vater), in Swedish (fader), as well as outside the Germanic group (Latin pater, Greek pater, Persian pedaer). The presence of these correspondences suggests that the word goes back to a layer of vocabulary common to subsequently different branches of languages. Indeed, in Sanskrit we find the root pitr with the same meaning of closest relationship in the male line. The Indo-European origin of the word is also confirmed by tracing the regular phonological changes and sound parallels described by historians of various languages.
A similar example is the word daughter, which has correspondence not only in other Germanic languages ​​(Germanic dohtor, Gothic dauhtar, Spanish dottir, Danish datter, Swiss dotter, German Tochter), but also outside the Germanic group (lit. dukte, Russian .daughter, Greek thygater, Persian dokhtaer). The Sanskrit word to which all of the above go back is duhitr.

Based on materials from the book by V.V. Eliseeva “Lexicology of the English Language”.

On the sociocultural differences between the words grandmother and the word grandmother

Russian word babushka and English grandmother- in general, terms (terms of kinship) denoting the mother of parents. However, what does a Russian grandmother have in common with an English one? grandmother? These are completely different images, they look different, dress differently, they have completely different functions in the family, different behavior, different lifestyles. Russian word babushka- one of the not too numerous borrowings in the English language, denoting a headscarf, scarf (“ a head scarf tied under the chin, worn by Russian peasant women"[a headscarf tied under the chin, similar to what Russian peasant women wear]). A Russian grandmother, as a rule, is even busier in her new status than before: she raises her grandchildren, runs the household, gives her parents the opportunity to work and earn money. English speaking grandmother goes on a “well-deserved rest”: travels, dresses brightly, tries to make up for lost time in terms of entertainment and pleasant pastime.

From the book by S. G. Ter-Minasova “Language and Intercultural Communication”.

Dictionary definitions of family

"The American Heritage Dictionary" gives the following interpretation of the word family:
– parents and their children(parents and their children);
– a group of persons related by blood or marriage(a group of persons related by blood or marriage);
– the members of the household(people who run a common household);
– a group of things with common characteristics(group of objects with general characteristics);
– biol. a group of related plants or animals ranking between a genus and an order(biological group of related plants or animals, occupying a place between a genus and an order).

Similar interpretations of the word family in "Collins Essential English Dictionary":
a group of people who are related to each other, especially parents and their children(a group of people in related relationships, especially parents and their children).
When people talk about them family, they can also mean (When people talk about their family, they can also mean):
– their children(their children);
– one line of their ancestors(ancestors on the same line).
You can use family to describe (You can use the word family[in the meaning of "family, familial, ancestral"] for description):
– things that belong to a particular family(things belonging to a specific family);
– things that are designed to be used or enjoyed by both parents and children(things that are made for use by parents and children).
A family of animals or plants is a group of related species(An animal or plant family is a group of related species.)

"Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture" defines family(family) like:
– one's parents, grandfather and grandmother, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts etc.(parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, etc.);
– a group of one or usually two adults and their children living in the same home(a group consisting of one or, usually, two adults and their children living together);
– all those people descended from a common person (ancestor)(a group of persons having a common ancestor);
– children(children);
– a group of related animals, plants, languages ​​etc(a group of related animals, plants, languages, etc.).

Coloring pages, exercises and games with words for family members (in English)

Children's poems about family in English

A Family

Father Duck goes for a swim
And Mother Duck comes out with him,
And behind them clean and trim
Seven ducklings swim.

Seven little yellow balls:
"Quack, quack, quack," the mother calls.
What a pretty sight they make
Swimming on a sunny lake.

My Mother

I love my mother
She"s kind and she"s gay,
She reads me the books
And helps me to play.

Father, Mother, Sister, Brother

Here is my Father,
Here is my Mother
Here is my Sister,
Here is my Brother.

Father, Mother,
Sister, Brother
Hand in hand
With one another.

A Happy Family

I love my Mother, she loves me,
We love Daddy, yes, sire.
He loves us and so you see,
We are a happy family.

I love Sister, she loves me,
We love Brother, yes, sire.
He loves us and so you see
We are a happy family.

When my sister goes away

When my sister goes away
Says she: "Little brother,
You must take my place today.
Take good care of Mother."

Grandma's Spectacles

These are Grandma's spectacles,
This is Grandma's hat.
This is the way she folds her hands,
And lays them in her lap.

Mother May I Go Out to Swim

"Mother, may I go out to swim?"
"Yes, my darling daughter.
Fold your clothes up neat and trim,
But don't go near the water."

Good night!

Good night, Mother,
Good night, Father,
Kiss your little son!
Good night, Sister,
Good night, everyone.

Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn't keep her;
Put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.

English words for beginners on the topic “My family. "My Family" divided into three parts: nouns, adjectives and verbs. List No. 1 includes only the most common words on this topic (32 words) with exercises. English words in italics are for general information. To consolidate vocabulary, a game is proposed - “My Relatives”.

English words for beginners on the topic “My Family”. Word list #1

I. Nouns (nouns):

1. father - father
2. mother - mother
3. parents - parents
4. son - son
5. daughter - daughter
6. sister - sister
7. brother - brother
8. cousin [‘kʌz(ə)n] - cousin (or sister), cousin (cousin)
9. sibling - brother or sister
10. second cousin - second cousin (sister)
11. twins - twins
12. aunt - aunt
13. uncle - uncle
14. nephew [`nevju:] - nephew
15. niece [`ni:s] - niece
16. grandfather - grandfather
17. grandmother - grandmother
18. great grandmother - great-grandmother
19. great grandfather - great-grandfather
20. grandson - grandson
21. granddaughter - granddaughter
22. husband - husband
23. wife - wife
24. child - child
25. children - children
26. grandchild - grandson
27. grandchildren - grandchildren
28. baby - baby
29. relative - relative

Exercise 1. Family Members

Game in English (for beginners)

For that to remember the names of relatives and learn to pronounce nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, parents, cousin, I suggest you play the following game online.

How to play. The cards are laid out in front of you. They are upside down. When you click on a card, the announcer says the name of a family member, and the card turns over and you see the word. The essence of the game is that you need to remember where the identical cards are, then when you click on them successively, they disappear. You need to get rid of all the cards as quickly as possible. Remember your time and next time try to set a record -

English words for beginners on the topic “My Family”. Word list No. 1 (continued)

II. Adjectives (adjectives):
1. large - big
2. small - small
3. young - young
4. younger - younger
5. old - old
6. elder - senior
7. close - close
8. friendly - friendly
9. favorite - favorite
10. loving - loving

Adjectives in English have no endings and do not change in gender or number. Adjective large- translated big, big, big, big

III. Verbs:

1. have got*- have
2. love - to love
3. love very much - to love very much

Test yourself to see if you know English words on the topic “My Family”

Double-click on the word with the mouse to test yourself.

1. father
2. mother
3. parents
4. sister
5. brother
6. cousin
7. twins
8. uncle
9. nephew
10. niece
11. grandfather
12. grandmother
13. great grandmother
14. husband
15. child
16. children
17. relative
18. large
19. small
20. young
21. younger
22. elder
23. close
24. friendly
25. favorite
26. loving

Vocabulary (Vocabulary)

Family

Child (children) - child (children)

Daughter

Mother (mom, mammy) - mother (mother, mommy)

Father (dad, daddy) - dad (dad, daddy)

Brother - brother

Sister

Husband - husband

Wife- wife

Fiancé - groom

Bride- bride

Aunt- aunt

Uncle-uncle

Parents

Nephew - nephew

Niece- niece

Twins

Father-in-law - father-in-law, father-in-law

Mother-in-law - mother-in-law, mother-in-law

Son-in-law- son-in-law

Daughter-in-law

To inherit - inherit

Relative

Granddaughter/grandson/grandsons - granddaughter/grandson/grandchildren

Cousin - cousin (sister)

To be married - to be married

To get married - get married

Wedding- wedding

Marriage

Spouse- married couple

Wedding ring - engagement ring

Veil- veil

Wedding dress - wedding dress

Honey-moon - honeymoon trip

To be engaged to- to be engaged to someone

To be pregnant - to be pregnant

Propose to - make an offer to someone

Divorce

Dialogues (dialogues)

- Can we talk?

Sure, what would you like to talk about?

I have some problems with my nephew

I see, I`ll drop by your house tonight

Thanks, I'll be waiting for you

Can we talk?

Sure, what do you want to talk about?

I have problems with my nephew

I got it, I'll drop by your house tonight

Thank you, I'll be waiting for you

- Hello. Can I speak to the person in charge of cooking wedding cakes?

Yes. Can I put you on hold for a couple of minutes? I'll check if he's here

Ok

Hello, Can I speak to someone who is in charge of making wedding cakes?

Yes. Could you wait on the line for a couple of minutes? I'll check if he's here

Fine

- Alice, I have something to say to you. A little bird told me Jack and Lilly are getting married.

Really? When?

In October or in November.

I`m so excited for them

-Ellis, I need to tell you something. Some people told me that Jack and Lily are getting married.

Is it true? When?

In October or November

I'm so happy for them

- I have to go to the mall. Keep an eye on my baby

Don`t worry I promise everything will be ok

Ok. I`ll come back in 2 hours

Great. See you later. Take care

Bye. Take care

I need to go to the supermarket. Look after my baby

Don't worry, I promise everything will be fine

Okay, I'll be back in 2 hours

Fabulous. See you later. Take care

Bye. Take care

Translate the following sentences, paying attention to the tense form and the mood of the predicate verb.

1. Open your notebooks, please. 2. What are you reading now? 3. What do his students usually read? What newspapers do they read? 4. Where are you going? 5. Where do you go every day? 6. Sit at the table, please, take your notebooks and write down text number five. - What are you doing now? - We are writting down text number five. 7. Do your friends read? English books? - Very often. 8. Don't close the book, please. 9. They don't send me books and newspapers. 10. What movie is this? - This is a good film. 11. I often meet this worker here. 12. How often do you meet these engineers? - No, these engineers very rarely come here.

Please help me answer the questions about the text.

1. How many basic types of economic systems stand out?
2. What does a traditional economic system rely upon?
3. When are severe limitations placed upon individual choice?
4. What does a capitalist economic system emphasize?
5. Why does the outcome prove to be in the overall best interests of society?

This is the text
Three basic types of economic systems
1) To develop some perfective for a study of microeconomics, it helps to begin with a feeling for what an economic system is and how it works.
2) Various countries have elected to use different methods both in organizing resources in the production process and in distributing the resultant goods and services. Three basic types of economic systems stand out.
3) A traditional economic system relies upon custom, habit, social mores, and tried-and-true methods for achieving economic goals; technology is primitive; changes are slow and production is taken in the same way is last year and the year before. Tradition and the status quo are perpetuated.
4) A command economic system relies on public ownership and centralized control of the basic means of production; severe limitations are placed upon individual choice when such choices conflict with government-determined economic priorities. Economic plans and activities are under die control of an economic commander-in-chief (a king, czar, prime minister, or central planning authority).
5) A capitalistic or market economic systems emphasizes private ownership, individual economic freedom, competition, the profit motive, and the price systems in the achievement of economic goals. Each economic unit decides what choices and policies are best for it, the thesis being that in encouraging the drive for individual economic self-interest, the outcome proves also to be in the overall best interests of society because of the strong incentives for efficiency, productivity , and satisfaction of consumers.