Family is a central topic in any language. Dutch has a rich vocabulary for family members, both close and extended, as well as for relationships and stages of life. In this article, you will learn all the essential family vocabulary in Dutch, from parents and grandparents to aunts, uncles and in-laws.
Wist je dat?
Dutch has a special word gezelligheid that perfectly describes the cosy warmth of family time together. A family gathering in the Netherlands is rarely complete without koffie en taart (coffee and cake)!
👨👩👧 The Immediate Family (Het Gezin)
In Dutch, het gezin refers to the nuclear/immediate family living in one household, while de familie refers to the extended family.
| Emoji | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| 👨 | de vader / de papa | father / dad |
| 👩 | de moeder / de mama | mother / mum |
| 👨👩👧 | de ouders | parents |
| 👦 | de zoon | son |
| 👧 | de dochter | daughter |
| 🧒 | het kind / de kinderen | child / children |
| 👦 | de broer | brother |
| 👧 | de zus / de zuster | sister |
| 👶 | de baby | baby |
👴👵 Grandparents & Extended Family
| Emoji | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| 👴 | de opa / de grootvader | grandpa / grandfather |
| 👵 | de oma / de grootmoeder | grandma / grandmother |
| 👵👴 | de grootouders | grandparents |
| 🧒 | het kleinkind | grandchild |
| 👦 | de kleinzoon | grandson |
| 👧 | de kleindochter | granddaughter |
| 👨 | de oom | uncle |
| 👩 | de tante | aunt |
| 👦 | de neef | nephew / male cousin |
| 👧 | de nicht | niece / female cousin |
💑 Relationships
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de vriend / de vriendin | boyfriend / girlfriend |
| de partner | partner |
| de man / de echtgenoot | husband |
| de vrouw / de echtgenote | wife |
| getrouwd zijn | to be married |
| gescheiden zijn | to be divorced |
| verloofd zijn | to be engaged |
| de schoonvader | father-in-law |
| de schoonmoeder | mother-in-law |
| de zwager | brother-in-law |
| de schoonzus | sister-in-law |
👶 Ages and Stages of Life
| Dutch | English | Age range |
|---|---|---|
| de baby | baby | 0–1 year |
| de peuter / de dreumes | toddler | 1–3 years |
| de kleuter | pre-schooler | 4–5 years |
| het kind | child | 6–12 years |
| de tiener | teenager | 13–19 years |
| de volwassene | adult | 18+ years |
| de bejaarde / de oudere | elderly person | 65+ years |
Mijn vader heeft twee broers en een zus.My father has two brothers and a sister.
We hebben drie kinderen: twee zoons en een dochter.We have three children: two sons and a daughter.
Mijn oma en opa wonen in Amsterdam.My grandma and grandpa live in Amsterdam.
✏️ Practice
- My mother's brother = mijn oom
- My father's mother = mijn oma (van vaderskant)
- My brother's daughter = mijn nicht
🔗 Continue Learning
- 👉 Greetings — meet people in Dutch
- 👉 Professions — talk about jobs
- 👉 Body & Health
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