Family in Dutch
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeIn this chapter you will learn the translations of different family members in Dutch. Many Dutch people have a close relationship with their family and they will gather during a holiday or when a family member celebrates his/her birthday.
Lesson outline
HideFamily in Dutch
In Dutch, the entire family can be separated in two parts:
- Het gezin: the family you share the household with. "Het gezin" consists most often of the parents and their children.
- De familie: all other relatives: aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins etc
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| The parents | De ouders |
| The mother / mommy | De moeder / mama |
| The father / daddy | De vader / papa |
| The children | De kinderen |
| The son | De zoon |
| The daughter | De dochter |
| The brother | De broer |
| The sister | De zus |
A translation for 'siblings' does not exist in Dutch, the Dutch say "broers and zussen" (brothers and sisters) instead.
Dutch family tree
Besides the family members you share your household with, you also have other family members.
Below you will find a table explaining the other family members.
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| The grandfather / grandpa | De grootvader / opa |
| The grandmother / granny | De grootmoeder / oma |
| The great-grandfather | De overgrootvader |
| The great-grandmother | De overgrootmoeder |
| The grandchildren | De kleinkinderen |
| The granddaughter | De kleindochter |
| The grandson | De kleinzoon |
| The uncle | De oom |
| The aunt | De tante |
| The cousin/nephew | De neef(je) |
| The cousin/niece | De nicht(je) |
In the Dutch language there is no difference made between 'niece/nephew' and 'cousin'. The word cousin does not exist, there are only translations for niece/nephew that are used for the son/daughter of your brother/sister and for the daughter/son of your uncle/aunt.
- Neef(je): The son of your brother, sister, uncle or aunt.
- Nicht(je): The daughter of your brother, sister, uncle or aunt.
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| The in-laws | De schoonfamilie |
| The father-in-law | De schoonvader |
| The mother-in-law | De schoonmoeder |
| The son-in-law | De schoonzoon |
| The daughter-in-law | De schoondochter |
| The sister-in-law | De schoonzus |
| The brother-in-law | De schoonbroer; de zwager |
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| The divorce | De (echt)scheiding |
| The stepfather | De stiefvader |
| The stepmother | De stiefmoeder |
| The stepbrother | De stiefbroer |
| The stepsister | De stiefzus |
| The half brother | De halfbroer |
| The half sister | De halfzus |
Now it is time to do some exercises about the family members!
Exercises
- Name the family members on pictures in Dutch
- Translate the family members in Dutch
- Translate the in-laws and stepfamily to Dutch
Name the family members on pictures in Dutch
Translate the family members in Dutch
Translate the in-laws and stepfamily to Dutch
Exercises
- Name the family members on pictures in Dutch
- Translate the family members in Dutch
- Translate the in-laws and stepfamily to Dutch