Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
My family in Spanish
Learn how to introduce your family members and use possessive adjectives like 'my' in Spanish. This guide is designed for parents to use with their children while learning basic CEFR A1 vocabulary.
What you'll learn
- Identify common family members in Spanish
- Use the possessive adjective 'mi' and 'mis' correctly
- Construct simple sentences to introduce relatives
Spanish phrases for my family
Esta es mi mamá.
This is my mum.
Use 'esta' because 'mamá' is feminine.
Este es mi papá.
This is my dad.
Use 'este' because 'papá' is masculine.
Tengo un hermano.
I have one brother.
'Tengo' comes from the verb 'tener' (to have).
Mi hermana es pequeña.
My sister is little.
'Pequeña' matches the feminine noun 'hermana'.
La abuela viene.
Grandma is coming.
Spanish often uses 'La' (The) before titles like 'abuela'.
Somos una familia.
We are a family.
'Somos' is the 'we' form of the verb 'ser' (to be).
¿Quién es ese?
Who is that?
Use 'ese' for a male and 'esa' for a female.
Ese es mi primo.
That is my cousin.
'Primo' is a male cousin; 'prima' is a female cousin.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Mamá / Papá
Mom / Dad
Note the accents on the last letters; they change the emphasis.
Hermano / Hermana
Brother / Sister
The 'h' is silent in Spanish.
Abuelo / Abuela
Grandfather / Grandmother
Commonly shortened to 'abue' by children.
Possessive Adjectives (My)
In Spanish, possessive adjectives like 'my' must match the quantity of the object owned, but not the gender of the person owning it.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | mi | mi hermano (my brother) |
| Plural | mis | mis hermanos (my brothers) |
More examples
Mis primos son divertidos.
My cousins are fun.
Using 'mis' for multiple cousins.
Mi familia es cariñosa.
My family is affectionate.
'Cariñosa' is a common way to describe a loving family.