Names of Family Members in Spanish: Essential Family Words

Learning Spanish? One of the best places to start is with family vocabulary. These are words you’ll use all the time—when you’re chatting about your parents, introducing your siblings, or talking about your kids at a family get-together.

Family is huge in Spanish-speaking cultures. Knowing how to talk about your loved ones helps you connect, understand relationships, and feel more confident when you speak.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the must-know family words Spanish speakers use every day. We’ll break things down by how close the relationship is, sprinkle in some examples, and share tips to help you remember everything. Let’s jump in!

Let’s start with your closest circle—your immediate family. In Spanish, this includes your parents, siblings, kids, and your spouse. These are the folks you probably talk about most, so these words will come in handy right away.

A quick note: Spanish has both formal and informal words for “mom” and “dad.” You’ll hear madre and padre in more formal settings, but day-to-day, most people say mamá and papá. And if you’re talking about both parents casually, los papás is a great go-to.

Here are the basics:

• • Madre / Mamá – Mother / Mom

  • Padre / Papá – Father / Dad

  • Los papás – Parents (informal)

  • Hermano / Hermana – Brother / Sister

  • Hermano mayor / Hermano menor – Older / younger brother

  • Hermana mayor / Hermana menor – Older / younger sister

  • Hijo / Hija – Son / Daughter

  • Bebé – Baby

  • Esposo / Esposa – Husband / Wife

Let’s look at a couple of quick examples you might use in real life:

 🔹“Tengo dos hermosas hijas.” – I have two beautiful daughters.

 🔹“No tengo hermanos o hermanas.” – I don’t have any siblings.

Learning these words gives you the foundation to start talking about the people in your life—and it’s a great first step toward having real conversations in Spanish.

Once you’ve got the immediate family down, it’s time to grow your vocabulary and learn how to talk about extended family. Think grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins—these relationships are super important in many Spanish-speaking homes, and of course in other cultures too.

Here are some of the most common terms:

• • Abuelo / Abuela – Grandfather / Grandmother

  • Tío / Tía – Uncle / Aunt

  • Primo / Prima – Male / female cousin

  • Sobrino / Sobrina – Nephew / Niece

You might hear someone say:

 🔹Mi abuela vive con nosotros.” – My grandmother lives with us.

 🔹“Tengo tres primos y una prima.” – I have three male cousins and one female cousin.

Extended families often play a big role in each other’s lives. These words will help you describe family gatherings, talk about your relatives, and understand conversations in Spanish-speaking homes.

As families grow and change, it becomes important to know how to talk about relatives by marriage and blended families. In Spanish, there are specific words for in-laws and step-relatives—knowing how to refer to your sister-in-law, brother-in-law, or mother-in-law is essential for real-life conversations.

• • Suegro / Suegra – Father-in-law / Mother-in-law

  • Cuñado / Cuñada – Brother-in-law / Sister-in-law

  • Padrastro / Madrastra – Stepfather / Stepmother

  • Hijastro / Hijastra – Stepson / Stepdaughter

  • Consuegro / Consuegra – Your child’s in-laws

  • Concuñado / Concuñada – Your spouse’s sibling’s spouse

Some examples in context:

 🔹“Mi suegra es muy amable.” – My mother-in-law is very kind.

 🔹“Mi cuñado tiene un nuevo trabajo.” – My brother-in-law has a new job.

These family words in Spanish are useful not only for introductions, but also for navigating social events, family dynamics, and conversations with in-laws. In many Hispanic cultures, these relationships are recognized and respected just like blood relatives.

In Spanish, there are two verbs that mean “to be”: ser and estar. If that sounds confusing—don’t worry, you’re not alone! What trips most people up is that you rarely hear ser or estar in their full dictionary form. Instead, they’re usually conjugated (or changed) to match the subject of the sentence.

So instead of ser, you’ll hear words like soy, es, or son. And instead of estar, you’ll see forms like estoy, está, or están.

Here’s the key difference:

• • Use ser to describe permanent or lasting traits—like someone’s personality, appearance, or role in the family.

  • Use estar for temporary things—like how someone’s feeling or where they are.

When you’re talking about your family, you’ll mostly use ser. For example:

 🔹 “Mi familia es grande.” – My family is big.

 🔹 “Mi hermano es inteligente.” – My brother is smart.

 🔹 “Mis hermanas son altas.” – My sisters are tall.

Quick grammar tip: Adjectives in Spanish change depending on the gender and number of the person you’re describing.

• • Simpático / simpática – nice

  • Trabajador / trabajadora – hardworking

  • Altos / altas – tall (plural)

Let’s try a few more real-life examples:

 🔹“Mi hermana es muy simpática.” – My sister is very nice.
 🔹“Mi papá es alto y trabajador.” – My dad is tall and hardworking.
 🔹“Mis abuelos son divertidos.” – My grandparents are fun.

Helpful adjectives to describe your family:

Positive traits:

• • Simpático/a – nice

  • Divertido/a – fun

  • Inteligente – smart

  • Trabajador(a) – hardworking

  • Cariñoso/a – affectionate

  • Amable – kind

  • Paciente – patient

Negative traits:

• • Impaciente – impatient

  • Perezoso/a – lazy

  • Antipático/a – unfriendly

  • Desordenado/a – messy

  • Testarudo/a – stubborn

  • Ruidoso/a – loud

  • Olvidadizo/a – forgetful

Physical traits:

• • Alto/a – tall

  • Bajo/a – short

  • Joven – young

  • Viejo/a – old

  • Guapo/a – good-looking

  • Fuerte – strong

Try mixing these with the family words you already know, and practice talking about the people in your life. The more you describe them in Spanish, the easier it gets!

Possessive pronouns are small but powerful words that show who things belong to—or how people are connected. When talking about family, they help make it clear who you’re referring to—your mom, their dad, our cousins, etc.

Here are the most common ones:

mi / mis – my

mi for singular: mi mamá (my mom)

mis for plural: mis abuelos (my grandparents)

tu / tus – your (informal)

tu for singular: tu hermano (your brother)

tus for plural: tus hermanas (your sisters)

su / sus – his, her, their

su for singular: su hijo (his/her/their son)

sus for plural: sus padres (his/her/their parents)

nuestro / nuestros / nuestra / nuestras – our

nuestro for singular masculine: nuestro abuelo (our grandfather)

nuestros for plural masculine or mixed group: nuestros primos (our cousins)

nuestra for singular feminine: nuestra tía (our aunt)

nuestras for plural feminine: nuestras primas (our cousins – all female)

Use them in full sentences to get comfortable:

🔹 “Mi mamá cocina muy bien.” – My mom cooks very well.

🔹 “Nuestros primos viven en Chile.” – Our cousins live in Chile.

🔹 “Su hermano se llama Carlos.” – His (or her or their) brother is named Carlos.

Notice how the form changes based on gender and number. Practicing these variations will help you describe family members clearly and confidently.

Talking about family is a common and friendly topic in everyday conversations—whether you’re meeting someone new or catching up with a friend. Knowing a few simple phrases can help you express yourself clearly and make meaningful connections in Spanish.

• • ¿Cómo está tu familia? – How is your family?

  • ¿Tienes hermanos? – Do you have siblings?

  • Mi hermana vive en… – My sister lives in…

  • Mi primo tiene veinte años. – My cousin is 20 years old.

  • No tengo hermanos. – I don’t have any siblings.

These expressions may seem simple, but they go a long way. Using them shows that you care, makes conversations more personal, and helps you build stronger relationships with Spanish speakers—whether you’re chatting with classmates, coworkers, or new friends.

In many Spanish-speaking cultures, family isn’t just important—it’s everything. The idea of family goes far beyond parents and siblings. It includes grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and even close family friends who feel like family.

Life often centers around family gatherings, shared meals, and big celebrations like birthdays, baptisms, and holidays. These events are filled with music, laughter, and love—and everyone pitches in.

There’s also a deep respect for elders and a strong sense of responsibility to take care of one another. Learning about these values can help you connect more deeply and show cultural understanding in your conversations.

The best way to remember family terms is through regular use, repetition, and creative practice. Don’t just memorize Spanish family words—make them part of your daily life. The more you see, hear, say, and write them, the more natural they’ll feel.

Here are a few ideas to help you study:

• • Create a family tree and label each person in Spanish. This helps you visualize relationships and learn vocabulary at the same time.

  • Make flashcards with pictures, definitions, and example sentences. Use them for quick review or test yourself on the go.

  • Practice short conversations using family terms. Even simple sentences like “Mi tía vive en México” (My aunt lives in Mexico) build fluency.

  • Write journal entries about your own family in Spanish. Try describing what they look like, what they do, or where they live.

Try combining these techniques—mixing visuals, writing, and speaking—to reinforce what you’ve learned about family members in Spanish and make it stick. With consistent practice, you’ll be able to talk about your family with confidence and ease.

Talking about your family in Spanish is one of the easiest ways to start having real conversations. It’s personal, it’s practical, and it gives you a window into how Spanish-speaking cultures think about relationships. Now that you’ve got the vocabulary and tools, go use them! Talk about your family. Ask about someone else’s. Practice describing the people you love. Every little conversation gets you closer to fluency.

Want to build on what you’ve learned? Bridge the Gap Spanish connects you with native Spanish speakers who guide you through real conversations at your pace. It’s not about memorizing lists—it’s about actually using the language in ways that make sense to you.

Whether you’re practicing family vocabulary or learning how to talk about your day, each session is tailored to your goals. You’ll get personalized support, honest feedback, and insights that help you feel more comfortable and confident when you speak. It’s how you move from just knowing Spanish words in your head (or on paper) to actually using them with confidence!

Schedule a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit and find the program that’s right for you.