๐ณ๐ฑ A1 Level · Lesson 4 of 10
Dutch Family
Vocabulary
Learn all family members in Dutch, how to use possessives (my, your, his…), and how to talk about your family with confidence!
๐
Family in Dutch
An essential part of everyday conversation
๐จ๐ฉ๐ง Talking about your family is one of the most common topics in Dutch conversation. Whether you're meeting someone new, filling out a form, or chatting at a party — knowing family vocabulary is essential!
๐ What you'll learn
Immediate family
Parents, siblings, children — the core family vocabulary.
Extended family
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more!
Possessives
My, your, his, her, our — to talk about your family.
Describing family
How to say how many siblings you have, ages, etc.
๐ก
Cultural Note — Dutch Family Life
The Dutch tend to have small, close-knit families. The average Dutch family has 1–2 children. Sunday is traditionally family day — "zondagmiddagbezoek" (Sunday afternoon visit) at grandparents' is a beloved tradition. The Dutch also commonly use first names with extended family — it's considered warm and friendly, not disrespectful!
๐จ๐ฉ๐ง
The Family Tree
Tap any family member to hear the Dutch word
๐ก Tip: Dutch uses de for most family members (de vader, de moeder). Notice that many words are similar to English — vader/father, moeder/mother, broer/brother, zuster/sister!
๐ด๐ต Grandparents — Grootouders
๐ด
de opa
grandfather
OH-pah
๐ต
de oma
grandmother
OH-mah
๐จ๐ฉ Parents — Ouders
๐จ
de vader
father
FAH-dษr
๐ฉ
de moeder
mother
MOO-dษr
๐จ
de stiefvader
stepfather
STEEF-fah-dษr
๐ฉ
de stiefmoeder
stepmother
STEEF-moo-dษr
๐ง๐ง Siblings — Broers en Zussen
๐ฆ
de broer
brother
BROOR
๐ง
de zus
sister
ZUS
๐ฆ
de halfbroer
half-brother
HALF-broor
๐ง
de halfzus
half-sister
HALF-zus
๐ถ Children — Kinderen
๐ฆ
de zoon
son
ZOHN
๐ง
de dochter
daughter
DOKH-tษr
๐ง
het kind
child
KINT
๐ถ
de baby
baby
BEY-bee
๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ฆ Extended Family — Verdere Familie
๐จ
de oom
uncle
OHM
๐ฉ
de tante
aunt
TAN-tษ
๐ฆ
de neef
nephew / cousin (m)
NEYF
๐ง
de nicht
niece / cousin (f)
NIKHT
๐ฆ
de kleinzoon
grandson
KLAYN-zohn
๐ง
de kleindochter
granddaughter
KLAYN-dokh-tษr
๐ Partners — Partners
๐จ
de man
husband / man
MAN
๐ฉ
de vrouw
wife / woman
VRAW
๐ฆ
de vriend
boyfriend / friend (m)
VREENT
๐ง
de vriendin
girlfriend / friend (f)
VREEN-din
๐ค
de partner
partner
PART-nษr
๐ญ Dialogue 1 — Talking about family
๐ง
Heb jij broers of zussen?
Do you have brothers or sisters?
๐ฉ
Ja, ik heb รฉรฉn broer en twee zussen.
Yes, I have one brother and two sisters.
๐ง
Hoe oud is jouw broer?
How old is your brother?
๐ฉ
Hij is drieรซntwintig jaar oud. En jij, heb jij een grote familie?
He is twenty-three years old. And you, do you have a big family?
๐ง
Nee, ik ben een enig kind. Maar ik heb veel neven en nichten!
No, I am an only child. But I have many cousins!
๐
More Family Vocabulary
In-laws, describing family, useful phrases
๐ In-laws & married life
de schoonvader
father-in-law
SKHOHN-fah-dษr
de schoonmoeder
mother-in-law
SKHOHN-moo-dษr
de zwager
brother-in-law
ZVAH-khษr
de schoonzus
sister-in-law
SKHOHN-zus
getrouwd zijn
to be married
khษ-TRAWT ZAYN
gescheiden zijn
to be divorced
khษ-SKHAY-dษn ZAYN
๐ฌ Useful family phrases
Ik ben een enig kind.
I am an only child.
Ik heb een grote familie.
I have a big family.
Heb jij broers of zussen?
Do you have brothers or sisters?
Mijn ouders zijn gescheiden.
My parents are divorced.
Ik woon bij mijn ouders.
I live with my parents.
Mijn oma is vijfenzeventig jaar oud.
My grandmother is 75 years old.
Zij lijkt op haar vader.
She looks like her father.
๐ญ Dialogue 2 — Introducing your family
๐ง
Dit is mijn familie. Dit zijn mijn ouders, Jan en Maria.
This is my family. These are my parents, Jan and Maria.
๐ฉ
Aangenaam! Is dit jouw broer?
Nice to meet you! Is this your brother?
๐ง
Ja, dit is mijn jongere broer Thomas. Hij is achttien jaar oud.
Yes, this is my younger brother Thomas. He is eighteen years old.
๐ฉ
En wie is dat meisje daar?
And who is that girl there?
๐ง
Dat is mijn nichtje, de dochter van mijn oom en tante.
That is my niece/cousin, the daughter of my uncle and aunt.
๐
Possessives
My, your, his, her, our, their...
๐ Possessives tell us who something belongs to. In Dutch, they come before the noun — just like in English: mijn vader = my father, jouw zus = your sister.
ik (I)
mijn
my
mijn vader
jij (you)
jouw / je
your (informal)
jouw moeder
u (you formal)
uw
your (formal)
uw zoon
hij (he)
zijn
his
zijn broer
zij (she)
haar
her
haar zus
wij (we)
ons / onze
our
ons kind
jullie (you all)
jullie
your (plural)
jullie opa
zij (they)
hun / hun
their
hun familie
๐ Grammar: ons vs onze
Dutch has a special rule for "our":
Use ons before het-words (neuter nouns): ons kind, ons huis
Use onze before de-words and plural nouns: onze vader, onze kinderen
Not sure which article a noun uses? For now, just use onze — it's correct in most cases and you'll refine this later!
๐ Grammar: jouw vs je
Both jouw and je mean "your" (informal):
Use jouw when you want to emphasise possession: Dat is JOUW probleem, niet het mijne. (That's YOUR problem, not mine.)
Use je in everyday casual speech: Hoe oud is je vader? (How old is your father?)
๐ Possessives in sentences — practice!
Mijn moeder is aardig.
My mother is kind.
Zijn vader werkt in Amsterdam.
His father works in Amsterdam.
Haar zus studeert medicijnen.
Her sister studies medicine.
Onze opa woont in Rotterdam.
Our grandfather lives in Rotterdam.
Hun kinderen spreken drie talen.
Their children speak three languages.
๐ฎ
Family Guessing Game
Read the clue — guess the family member!
๐จ๐ฉ๐ง Who is it?
Read the clue and choose the right Dutch family member
๐ค
Tap "Start" to begin!
๐
Exercise: Match the Pairs
Tap Dutch → then its English meaning
๐ Tap a Dutch word, then its English translation
๐ณ๐ฑ Dutch
de oma
de broer
de dochter
mijn
de tante
getrouwd zijn
๐ฌ๐ง English
brother
to be married
grandmother
aunt
my
daughter
๐ All pairs matched! +30 XP earned!
✏️
Fill in the Blanks
Type the missing Dutch word
๐ฌ Complete each sentence with the correct Dutch word
1
The Dutch word for "mother" is:
๐ก (moo-dษr)
2
Ik heb รฉรฉn broer en รฉรฉn
.
๐ก (sister)
3
"My" in Dutch (possessive):
๐ก (mayn)
4
Zijn
werkt in Amsterdam.
๐ก (his... works in Amsterdam)
5
"Grandmother" in Dutch:
๐ก (oh-mah)
6
Ik ben een enig
.
๐ก (I am an only...)
7
"Her" in Dutch (possessive):
๐ก (hahr)
8
De
van mijn vader is mijn oma.
๐ก (the... of my father is my grandma → "aunt" of grandpa's sibling? = mother! Tip: de tante = the aunt)
๐ฏ
Final Quiz
10 questions — family & possessives!
๐ฏ Lesson 4 Quiz
Family members, possessives and family phrases
What does "de moeder" mean?
de moeder
✅ de moeder = the mother. Similar to English "mother" — easy to remember!
❌ de moeder = the mother.
What is "my" in Dutch?
___ vader (my father)
✅ mijn = my. Mijn vader, mijn moeder, mijn familie!
❌ mijn = my. (haar=her, zijn=his, ons/onze=our)
What does "de broer" mean?
de broer
✅ de broer = the brother. Sounds like "brur" — close to the English word!
❌ de broer = the brother.
Choose the correct possessive: "His sister"
___ zus
✅ zijn zus = his sister. zijn=his, haar=her — don't confuse them!
❌ "His sister" = zijn zus. (zijn=his, haar=her)
What is "grandmother" in Dutch?
๐ต = ?
✅ de oma = grandmother. And de opa = grandfather!
❌ de oma = grandmother. (de opa = grandfather)
Translate: "Haar zus studeert in Amsterdam."
Haar zus studeert in Amsterdam.
✅ Haar = her. Studeert = studies. Her sister studies in Amsterdam!
❌ Haar = her → Her sister studies in Amsterdam.
What does "de tante" mean?
de tante
✅ de tante = aunt. And de oom = uncle!
❌ de tante = aunt. (de oom = uncle)
How do you say "I am an only child"?
?
✅ Ik ben een enig kind. = I am an only child. Enig = only/sole!
❌ "I am an only child" = Ik ben een enig kind.
Which word means "our" before a de-word?
___ vader (our father)
✅ onze vader = our father. Use onze before de-words and plurals, ons before het-words!
❌ Before de-words use onze: onze vader, onze moeder.
What is "daughter" in Dutch?
๐ง = ?
✅ de dochter = daughter. And de zoon = son!
❌ de dochter = daughter. (de zoon = son)
๐
0/10
๐ Next: Lesson 5 — Food & Drink
Learn to order food, talk about what you like to eat, and navigate a Dutch restaurant!