A0~20 min

Family Members

De familie

Talking About Family

Dutch family words are very similar to English and German. Most family members use "de" as their article.

Family is one of the first topics people talk about when meeting someone new. In the Netherlands, you'll often be asked "Heb je broers of zussen?" (Do you have brothers or sisters?). Knowing these words helps you introduce your family and understand others.

Close Family (Het gezin)

Dutch	English
de vader / papa	father / dad
de moeder / mama	mother / mom
de ouders	the parents
de zoon	son
de dochter	daughter
de broer	brother
de zus	sister
het kind	child
de kinderen	children
de baby	baby

Extended Family

Dutch	English
de opa / grootvader	grandfather
de oma / grootmoeder	grandmother
de oom	uncle
de tante	aunt
de neef	nephew / male cousin
de nicht	niece / female cousin
de man / echtgenoot	husband
de vrouw / echtgenote	wife
de vriend / vriendin	boyfriend / girlfriend
de schoonouders	parents-in-law

Neef & Nicht — Double meaning!

In Dutch, "neef" means both nephew AND male cousin. "Nicht" means both niece AND female cousin. Context makes it clear which meaning is intended.

Talking About Your Family

Ik heb twee broers en een zus.

I have two brothers and a sister.

Mijn moeder heet Anna.

My mother is called Anna.

Heb je kinderen?

Do you have children?

Mijn opa woont in Amsterdam.

My grandfather lives in Amsterdam.

Dit is mijn vrouw.

This is my wife.

Possessives with Family

Use "mijn" (my), "jouw/je" (your), and "zijn/haar" (his/her) before family words.

When talking about family, you'll constantly use possessive pronouns. "Mijn vader" (my father), "jouw broer" (your brother), "zijn moeder" (his mother), "haar zus" (her sister). "Je" is the informal short form of "jouw."

Possessive Pronouns

Dutch	English	Example
mijn	my	mijn vader (my father)
jouw / je	your (informal)	jouw broer (your brother)
uw	your (formal)	uw zoon (your son)
	his	zijn moeder (his mother)
haar	her	haar zus (her sister)
ons / onze	our	onze familie (our family)

Workplace Context

Scenario: Small talk about family at work

Heb je broers of zussen?

Do you have brothers or sisters?

Ik ben getrouwd.

I am married.

Mijn dochter gaat naar school.

My daughter goes to school.

Hoe oud zijn je kinderen?

How old are your children?

Common Mistakes

✗Ik heb twee zussen en een broeren.

✓Ik heb twee zussen en een broer.

"Broer" is singular. The plural is "broers." With "een" (one), use the singular form: "een broer."

✗Mijn nicht is mijn uncle's daughter.

✓Mijn nicht is de dochter van mijn oom.

Dutch doesn't use 's for possession the way English does. Use "van" (of): "de dochter van mijn oom" (my uncle's daughter).

Dutch

English

de vader / papa

father / dad

de moeder / mama

mother / mom

de ouders

the parents

de zoon

son

de dochter

daughter

de broer

brother

de zus

sister

het kind

child

de kinderen

children

de baby

baby

Dutch

English

de opa / grootvader

grandfather

de oma / grootmoeder

grandmother

de oom

uncle

de tante

aunt

de neef

nephew / male cousin

de nicht

niece / female cousin

de man / echtgenoot

husband

de vrouw / echtgenote

wife

de vriend / vriendin

boyfriend / girlfriend

de schoonouders

parents-in-law

Dutch

English

Example

mijn

mijn vader (my father)

jouw / je

your (informal)

jouw broer (your brother)

your (formal)

uw zoon (your son)

his

zijn moeder (his mother)

haar

her

haar zus (her sister)

ons / onze

our

onze familie (our family)