Learn family vocabulary in Japanese.
Japanese family vocabulary (your own family):
Talking about someone else's family (polite):
| Japanese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 母 | Mother (own) | 母は料理が上手です。 |
| 父 | Father (own) | 父は医者です。 |
| 兄 | Older brother (own) | 兄は東京に住んでいます。 |
| 妹 | Younger sister (own) | 妹は学生です。 |
| お母さん | Mother (someone else's) | お母さんはお元気ですか？ |
| 家族 | Family | 家族と食事をします。 |
| Word | Phonetic | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 母 | 2 short syllables. Used for YOUR mother; use "okāsan" for others | |
| 兄 | Short "a", then "ni". Used for YOUR older brother | |
| 祖母 | 2 syllables. Used for YOUR grandmother |
Humble vs Honorific: Japanese has two sets of family terms. Use humble forms (haha, chichi) for your OWN family. Use honorific forms (okāsan, otōsan) for OTHER people's families.
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