Dutch · A2 (Elementary)
Family in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for family are de man / de echtgenoot (the husband), de vrouw / de echtgenote (the wife) and de zoon (the son). The full Dutch family phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Dutch 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 Dutch to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's Dutch curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key family vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de man / de echtgenoot | the husband |
| de vrouw / de echtgenote | the wife |
| de zoon | the son |
| de dochter | the daughter |
| de grootvader | the grandfather |
| de grootmoeder | the grandmother |
| de schoonvader | the father-in-law |
| de schoonmoeder | the mother-in-law |
| de neef | the nephew / male cousin |
| de nicht | the niece / female cousin |
Example sentences
Mijn man komt uit Friesland.
My husband comes from Friesland.
Mijn vrouw werkt als arts.
My wife works as a doctor.
Mijn zoon is vijf jaar oud.
My son is five years old.
Mijn dochter gaat naar school.
My daughter goes to school.
Mijn grootvader woont in Zeeland.
My grandfather lives in Zeeland.
Mijn schoonmoeder kookt erg goed.
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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