Family and Relatives

Family

father; mother; parents;

son; daughter; child; children; offspring;

brother; sister; sibling; siblings;

twins; twin brothers; twin brother; twin sisters; twin sister;

younger brother; kid brother; older sister; elder sister;

to bring up children; to raise children;

Formal words: offspring (i.e., child or children); sibling (i.e., brother or sister); spouse (i.e., husband or wife).

grandfather; grandmother; granny; grandparents;

grandson; granddaughter; grandchild; grandchildren;

great-grandfather; great-grandmother; great-grandchild;

Adoption and related words

adopted son; adopted daughter; adopted child;

half-brother (half brother); half-sister (half sister);

stepfather; stepmother; stepbrother; stepsister; stepchild;

foster family; foster father; foster mother; foster parents; foster home;

foster son; foster daughter; foster child; foster brother; foster sister;

to adopt a child; to foster a child; orphan, orphans;

Relatives

uncle; aunt; nephew; niece;

cousin; first cousin; second cousin;

close relatives; distant relatives;

closest relatives; nearest relatives; next of kin; immediate family;

family members; members of the family; head of the household;

my family; my relatives; my folks; my kin; my kinfolk (kinsfolk);

Relatives by marriage

in-laws; father-in-law; mother-in-law;

son-in-law; daughter-in-law; brother-in-law; sister-in-law;

Note the plural: two sons-in-law; three daughters-in-law; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law.

Note the possessive case: my father-in-law's house; my sister-in-law's car.

Age groups and related words

boy, girl; male child; female child; man, woman;

child; baby; newborn baby; infant; toddler; little boy; little girl; kid; childhood;

teenager; teenage boy; teenage girl; adolescent;

young boy; youngster; youth, youths; lad; young girl;

young man; young woman; adult; grownup;

middle-aged man; middle-aged woman; old man; old woman;

senior members of the family; younger members of the family;

Marital status and related words

single; married; engaged; separated; divorced; widowed;

to marry; to get married; marriage;

husband; wife; spouse; ex-husband; ex-wife; divorce;

married couple; husband and wife;

married man; unmarried man; bachelor;

married woman; unmarried woman; single mother;

widow; widower; grass widow; grass widower;

fiance; engagement; engagement ring;

bride; bridegroom (groom); bridesmaid; best man;

wedding; wedding ring; wedding cake; newlyweds; honeymoon;

divorce; alimony; child support; child custody;

girlfriend; boyfriend;

Other related words

ancestor; forefather; descendant; heir; generation;

family tree; genealogy; family history;

date of birth; place of birth; birthplace;

birthday; birthday party; birthday presents;

pregnancy; childbirth; the baby is due in June; birth;

guardian; godfather; godmother; godson; goddaughter; godchild;

nursery; creche; day-care center; nursery school; kindergarten; nanny; babysitter;

illness, sickness, disease;

death; funeral; burial; cemetery; graveyard; grave.

My family

I have a large family. My father is 57. (fifty-seven) He works as an engineer at a plant. My mother is 55. She works part-time as a nurse. My younger brother is a student of economics. He is going to graduate next year. I also have an older sister. She is married and lives with her family in an apartment house not far from us. They often visit us. Her daughter Lena, my niece, is a very talented girl. She plays the piano and writes interesting poems.

I am married. My wife Olga is a schoolteacher. She teaches mathematics. We have two children, a boy and a girl. My son Victor is six years old, and my daughter Anna is three years old. They go to a kindergarten near our house. My wife picks them up on her way home from work and takes a long walk with them in the park. My mother looks after the children when we work late, and my mother-in-law takes care of them on Saturdays.

We live in a large house with a nice garden. There is enough room for all of us, and I even have my own study in the attic. It is small, but I like it. There is a table with my computer on it, a chair, and a book shelf. I spend a lot of time there working with my papers and studying English.

We have a lot of relatives. My aunt and two uncles live in a small town about 60 kilometers from my hometown. Their children, my cousins, are about my age, and we communicate often. Every year the whole family gets together for Christmas. We prepare a huge Christmas dinner, and there are a lot of presents for everyone.

Моя семья

У меня большая семья. Моему отцу 57 лет. Он работает инженером на заводе. Моей матери 55 лет. Она работает неполный рабочий день медсестрой. Мой младший брат – студент экономики. Он заканчивает институт в следующем году. У меня также есть старшая сестра. Она замужем и живёт со своей семьёй в многоквартирном доме недалеко от нас. Они часто навещают нас. Её дочь Лена, моя племянница, очень талантливая девочка. Она играет на пианино и пишет интересные стихи.

Я женат. Моя жена Ольга – школьный учитель. Она преподаёт математику. У нас двое детей, мальчик и девочка. Моему сыну Виктору шесть лет, а моей дочери Анне три года. Они ходят в детский сад возле нашего дома. Моя жена забирает их по пути домой с работы и долго гуляет с ними в парке. Моя мать смотрит за детьми, когда мы работаем допоздна, а моя тёща смотрит за ними по субботам.

Мы живём в большом доме с хорошим садом. Места достаточно для всех, а у меня даже есть свой собственный кабинет на чердаке. Он маленький, но мне нравится. В нём стол с моим компьютером, стул и книжная полка. Я провожу там много времени, работая с бумагами и изучая английский язык.

У нас очень много родственников. Моя тётя и два дяди живут в маленьком городе примерно в 60 километрах от моего родного города. Их дети, мои двоюродные братья и сёстры, примерно моего возраста, и мы часто общаемся. Каждый год вся семья собирается вместе на Рождество. Мы готовим огромный рождественский обед, и для всех есть множество подарков.

BrE and AmE

BrE: elder brother; elder sister – AmE: older brother; elder brother; older sister; elder sister;

BrE: flat – AmE: apartment;

BrE: block of flats – AmE: apartment house;

BrE: centre, centres – AmE: center, centers;

BrE: kilometre, kilometres – AmE: kilometer, kilometers.

Related materials: British and American Vocabulary in the section Vocabulary; About Myself in the section Phrases; Family and Friends in the section Kids.