The Family - Phrases Full Article

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ESSENTIAL PHRASES

The Family

The Family
Do you want to know how to talk about your family in English? We're here to help! Talking about family is
a common thing both friends and work colleagues do. It's a great way to get to know others and can help
you deepen relationships.

Below we've collected phrases for you that will help you find out more about someone else's family and to
talk about your own. Check them out and improve your English!

Table of Contents
Asking About the Family
Talking About Your Family

Asking About the Family


Here we've collected useful phrases that you can use to ask different questions about someone's family.
Use them when you're looking for a way to start a conversation with someone.

How is your family?

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Do you have any siblings?

Who's the oldest sibling in your family?

Do you have a big family?

What are your parents like?

What do your parents do?

Are you married?

Do you have any children?

Is your family close?


ESSENTIAL PHRASES
The Family

Do you have any brothers or sisters?


You could also use Do you have any siblings? to ask this same question. By using the sentence pattern:
Do you have any + FAMILY MEMBERS? you can find out what family members somebody has. For
example: Do you have any cousins?. There's lots of ways somebody could respond to this. An example
response is: I have two cousins that live on the other side of the country.

Is your family close?


A close family is one that enjoys spending time with each other and are open and supportive of each
other. The opposite of this would be an independent family. You could respond to this question in a
number of ways. For example like this: Yes, we are very close with each other.

Talking About Your Family


Below you'll find helpful phrases that you can use to talk about your own family. Many of them are
examples of how to answer the questions from the first table above. Have a look!

I have two sisters.

I'm the middle child.

She has three siblings.

I'm an only child.

My brother works as an engineer.

My parents are pretty adventurous.

My family is doing great! How is yours?

We don't have any children.

I'm a twin.

My sister is going to college and is studying French.

My grandparents live out west.

My sister is such a daddy's girl.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.


ESSENTIAL PHRASES
The Family

My sister is such a daddy's girl


This sentence describes a sister who is particularly attached to or spoiled by her father. You could also
describe a male individual with a similar relationship with their father as a daddy's boy. Or if the
individuals have a close relationship with their mother you would say they are a mama's girl or mama's
boy. In response to a sentence like our example, somebody might ask something like: Were they always
that close?.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree


This is an English idiom that describes a child who has similar or even the same habits or talents as their
parents. Maybe a father and son are both naturally good at playing guitar, or a daughter and her mother
are fantastic painters? Both cases are good examples of when you could use this idiom. In response
someone might say something like: Yeah, they sure are similar to each other!.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most essential English phrases for talking about family?
How is your family?
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Who's the oldest sibling in your family?
What are your parents like?
I have two sisters.
I'm the middle child.
My family is doing great! How is yours?
I'm a twin.

What are the different abbreviations for family members?


There are lots of different words for different family members. You could call your father: dad, daddy,
papa, or even pops. Your mother could be called: mom, mommy, or mama. You might call your brother
and sister: bro and sis. There's also many different words for grandfather and grandmother, like: pop-pop,
grandpa, granny, nana, or grandma.
ESSENTIAL PHRASES
The Family

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