Naming family members — Foreign languages, 4–6 years
Learn a few words for people close to you and connect them with real people. Foreign languages, 4–6 years.
People in your family
Some English words tell us who a person is in a family: “mum”, “dad”, “sister”, “brother” and “grandma”. Families are not all the same, so you only use the words that fit the people in your life. You can point to a photograph and say, “This is my mum.”
Why these words matter
When we talk about people, names alone may not explain how they are connected to us. A family word gives the listener a quick picture of that connection. People have used such relationship words for a very long time because caring, living and sharing often involve groups of relatives and close family members.
Worked example
Look at a photo with three people: Ana, her brother Leo and their grandma. First, point to Ana and say, “This is Ana.” Next, point to Leo and say, “This is my brother.” Finally, point to the older woman and say, “This is my grandma.” Each word matches one person.
A reasonable mistake
You may call every older woman “grandma”, because that is the family word you know. That makes sense when you are learning from one photograph, but not every older woman is your grandmother. Use “grandma” only for your grandmother; for another person, say her name or ask who she is.
Where it helps
These words help you introduce a family member to someone who speaks English. They are useful in a video call, at a family visit or when showing a photograph. You can say, “This is my sister,” so the other person knows who is standing beside you without needing a long explanation.
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