Lesson 4. The family we have
Listen and repeat
Family members
These are the words we use to describe the people in our family.
The Basics
Parents: Your father and mother together.
Father / Dad: A male parent.
Mother / Mom: A female parent.
Husband: A man someone is married to.
Wife: A woman someone is married to.
Children: Sons and daughters.
Child: Singular of children.
Kids: Informal word for children.
Brothers and Sisters
Siblings: A general word for your brothers and sisters.
Brother: A male sibling.
Big brother: An older brother.
Sister: A female sibling.
Little sister: A younger sister.
Youngest sibling: The last child born in the family (the "baby" of the family).
Extended Family
These are the people who are related to you through your parents.
Grandparents: The parents of your mother or father.
Grandmother (Grandma): The mother of your mom or dad.
Grandfather (Grandpa): The father of your mom or dad.
Uncle: The brother of your mother or father.
Aunt: The sister of your mother or father.
Cousin: The child of your aunt or uncle.
Nephew: The son of your brother or sister.
Niece: The daughter of your brother or sister.
Married: When two people are legally joined as partners (husband and wife).
Animals and Pets
When an animal lives in your house and you take care of it, we call it a pet.
Pet: An animal that lives with people for company and fun.
Cat: A small animal with soft fur that often says "meow." Small cats are kittens.
Dog: A very popular pet known for being a "best friend." Small dogs are puppies.
Rabbit: An animal with long ears that likes to hop.
Bird: An animal that has feathers and can fly (like a parrot).
Fish: An animal that lives and swims in a tank of water.
Hamster: A very small, furry animal that likes to run on a wheel.
Turtle: An animal with a hard shell that moves very slowly.
Describing Your Family
Here are some simple ways to use these words in a sentence:
To talk about size:
"I have a small family." (Few people)
"I have a big family." (Many people)
To talk about birth order:
"I am the only daughter." (I have no sisters).
"I have five siblings." (I have five brothers and sisters in total).
To talk about where they live:
"They live near my parents' house." (The distance is short).
"They live in Buon Ma Thuot." "We live in our big house in London."
Practice
Answer these questions about your own family. Write your answers down, then say them out loud.
Do you have a big family or a small family?
→ I have a _______ family.
How many people are there in your family?
→ There are _______ people in my family.
Do you have any brothers or sisters? How many?
→ I have _______ brother(s) and _______ sister(s). / I don't have any brothers or sisters. I am an only child.
Are you the oldest, the youngest, or somewhere in the middle?
→ I am the _______ in my family.
Do you have any children? If yes, how many sons and daughters do you have?
→ I have _______ son(s) and _______ daughter(s). / I don't have any children yet.
Do you have any nieces or nephews?
→ I have _______ niece(s) and _______ nephew(s). / I don't have any nieces or nephews yet.
Do you have any pets? What are they?
→ I have a _______. Its name is _______. / I don't have any pets.
Where does your family live?
→ My family lives in _______.
Now use your answers to write a short paragraph about your family, like David, Alex, and Tin did in the video. Say it out loud when you are done.
FAQ
1. What is the difference between "children" and "kids"?
Both mean the same thing. "Children" is more formal. "Kids" is casual and very common in everyday speech. David uses "kids" in the video because he is speaking informally. Both are correct.
2. What is the difference between "siblings" and "brothers and sisters"?
"Siblings" is one word that covers both brothers and sisters. It is more convenient when you do not want to list both separately. "I have three siblings" is the same as "I have three brothers and sisters." Use either one; both are natural.
3. What is the difference between "nephew" and "niece"?
"Nephew" is the son of your brother or sister. "Niece" is the daughter of your brother or sister. There is no single word in English that covers both, unlike "siblings" for brothers and sisters. If you want to refer to both together, say "nieces and nephews."
4. How do I use "their" correctly?
"Their" is a possessive adjective for "they." Use it when something belongs to more than one person. In the video, Alex says "my brothers' rabbit" and David says "my sons' rabbit." You could also say "their rabbit" to mean the same thing, as long as it is clear who "they" refers to.
5. What is the difference between "big family" and "large family"?
Both mean the same thing. A family with many members. "Big family" is more common in casual speech. "Large family" sounds slightly more formal. Either is fine in conversation.
6. Can I use "its" for a pet?
Yes. "Its" is the possessive adjective for animals and objects when the gender is unknown or unimportant. However, many people use "his" or "her" for pets they treat as family members. In the video, David and Alex use "his" for Felix the cat and "her" for Bunbun the rabbit because those are the pets' genders. Both approaches are acceptable.
7. What does "own" mean in "their own families"?
"Own" here emphasizes that something belongs specifically and personally to someone. "Their own families" means each sibling has a separate family of their own, not shared. You can use "own" after any possessive adjective: "my own room," "his own car," "our own house."