Meeting new people often starts with talking about family: “Do you have brothers or sisters?” “Are you married?” Today, you’ll learn easy English words for family and relationships, plus simple grammar to help you say who people are and how they’re related to you.

By the end, you can introduce your family, ask about someone’s relatives, and talk about your relationships with confidence.

Core family words

Here are the most common words you’ll hear and use in daily life. Keep them simple and clear.

Relationship words

More words for people close to you:

Simple grammar: talking about your people

To say who someone is, we often use “my/your/his/her” and the verb “to have” (have/has).

Is this brother?

Possession with 's

To show something belongs to someone, use 's:

• Anna’s brother = the brother of Anna
• Tom’s wife = the wife of Tom

For plural nouns that end in “s,” put the apostrophe after the s:

• the sisters’ room (the room of the sisters)

Don’t use 's with possessive adjectives: say “my sister’s phone,” not “me sister’s phone.”

This is Anna phone.

Have vs. has

Use “have” with I, you, we, they. Use “has” with he, she, it. We often use “have/has” to talk about family: “I have two brothers.” “She has one sister.”

She two sisters.

She have two brothers. → She has two brothers. Use “has” with he/she/it. I am marry. → I am married. Use the adjective “married,” not the verb “marry,” to describe status.

Cultural note: words people use

• In the UK, many people say “mum.” In the US, “mom” is more common. Both mean “mother.”
• Many people use “partner” (instead of boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife) to be neutral or inclusive.
• Families can be big or small, and can include step-parents, step-siblings, and half-brothers/sisters. Don’t worry—you can ask politely: “How many brothers or sisters do you have?” or “Are you married?”
• To be polite when meeting family, say: “Nice to meet you.”

Useful sentences for everyday talk

• I have one sister and one brother.
• My parents live in the city.
• Are you married? No, I’m single.
• This is my wife/husband.
• He is my cousin.
• We are friends.
• Her grandmother is 75.

Word building: bigger family words

English often makes family words by adding parts:

• grand + mother → grandmother (older generation)
• step + brother → stepbrother (your parent’s spouse’s child)
• great + grandfather → great-grandfather (one generation older than grandparent)

Practice talking about your family

Try answering:

• How many brothers or sisters do you have?
• Are you single or married?
• Do you have any cousins? Where do they live?
• Who is your best friend?

Example answers:

• I have two sisters.
• I’m married.
• Yes, I have three cousins. They live near me.
• My best friend is Luis. We play football together.

Quick recap

• Vocabulary: mother, father, parents, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, cousin, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, child/children.
• Grammar: use my/your/his/her/our/their; use 's for possession; use have/has correctly.
• Culture: “mom/mum” both mean mother; “partner” is common and inclusive; be polite: “Nice to meet you.”

Keep practicing with simple sentences about your own family. The more you use these words, the more natural they will feel. You’ve got this!