Spanish · A2 (Elementary)
Family in Spanish: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Spanish words for family are el marido (the husband), la mujer / la esposa (the wife) and el hijo (the son). The full Spanish family phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Spanish vocabulary for family, with example sentences and English translations. This is A2 (Elementary) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Spanish to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's Spanish curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key family vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el marido | the husband |
| la mujer / la esposa | the wife |
| el hijo | the son |
| la hija | the daughter |
| el abuelo | the grandfather |
| la abuela | the grandmother |
| el suegro | the father-in-law |
| la suegra | the mother-in-law |
| el sobrino | the nephew |
| la sobrina | the niece |
Example sentences
Mi marido es de Galicia.
My husband is from Galicia.
Mi mujer trabaja como médica.
My wife works as a doctor.
Mi hijo tiene cinco años.
My son is five years old.
Mi hija va al colegio.
My daughter goes to school.
Mi abuelo vive en el pueblo.
My grandfather lives in the village.
Mi suegra cocina muy bien.
My mother-in-law cooks very well.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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