FAMILY - Spanish vocabulary, words and expressions

VOCABULARIO: FAMILIAS - VOCABULARY: FAMILY

When Sarah said that we should do the word "family" at first it seemed too basic but we have managed to put together a list of family words "on steroids" and it's really good (¡¡no necesito abuela!!). The most notable difference between English and Spanish is that when you use the masculine it can refer to both masculine and feminine. eg "hermanos" can refer to your "brothers" or your "brothers AND sisters".

Español	English
el abuelito / el yayo	granddad
el abuelo	grandfather
el árbol genealógico	family tree
el bisabuelo	great-grandfather
el bisnieto, biznieto	great-grandson
el cónyuge / la cónyuge	spouse
el cuatrillizo / la cuatrilliza	cuadruplet
el cuñado / el hermano político	brother-in-law
el gemelo idéntico	(identical) twin, twin brother
el hermanastro	half brother / step brother
el hermano	brother
el hijastro	stepson
el hijo	son
el hijo único / la hija única Soy hija única	an only child I'm an only child
el marido / el esposo	husband
el mellizo	twin, twin brother
el nieto	grandson
el niño mayor	the oldest child
el niño menor	the youngest child
el padrastro	stepfather
el padre	father
el primo / la prima	cousin
el primo primero / la prima primera	first cousin
el primo segundo / la prima segunda	second cousin
el quintillizo / la quintilliza	quintuplet
el segundo hijo / la segunda hija Soy la segunda	a middle child (of three) I'm the middle child
el septillizo / la septilliza	septuplet
el sextillizo / la sextilliza	sextuplet
el sobrino	nephew
el sobrino nieto	great-nephew
el suegro	father-in-law
el tatarabuelo	great-great-grandfather
el tataranieto	great-great-grandson
el tío	uncle
el tío abuelo	great-uncle
el tío segundo / la tía segunda	cousin first removed
el trillizo / la trilliza	triplet
la abuela	grandmother
la abuelita / yaya / nana	granny
la bisabuela	great-grandmother
la bisnieta, biznieta	great-granddaughter
la cuñada / la hermana política	sister-in-law
la familia de acogida	foster family
la gemela idéntica	(identical) twin, twin sister
la generación	generation
la hermana	sister
la hermanastra	half sister / step sister
la hija	daughter
la hijastra	stepdaughter
la madrastra	stepmother
la madre	mother
la melliza	twin, twin sister
la mujer / la esposa Note: esposas can also mean handcuffs!	wife
la nieta	granddaughter
la sobrina	niece
la sobrina nieta	great-niece
la suegra	mother-in-law
la tatarabuela	great-great-grandmother
la tataranieta	great-great-granddaughter
la tia	aunt
la tía abuela	great-aunt
los antepasados	ancestors / forebears (formal)
los hijastros	stepchildren
los hijos	children
los padres	parents
los padres de acogida	foster parents
los parientes / familiares	relatives
los suegros (mother and father-in-law) la familia política / los parientes políticos (your spouse's family / relatives)	the in-laws
madrina	godmother
mi hermanito / hermanita	my baby brother / sister
mi hermano / hermana mayor	my older brother / sister
mi hermano / hermana menor	my younger brother / sister
mis padrinos	my godparents
padrino	godfather
un niño adoptado / una niña adoptada	adopted child
EXPRESIONES - EXPRESSIONS
Note:- gemelo(s) has two other meanings. It can also mean: 1. cufflink(s) 2. calf muscle(s). Gemelos can also mean "binoculars"
It is important to remember that plural words in Spanish can refer to masculine and feminine "hermanos" therefore can refer to your "brothers" or your "brothers and sisters" "tus tíos" could mean your "aunt and uncle" or your "uncles and aunts". ¿Cuántos hermanos tienes?= How many brothers and sisters have you got?
Note when talking about the number of people in your family, Spanish use the verb "ser" where English uses "There are" Somos cinco (en mi familia) = There are five of us (in my family).
If someone is blowing their own trumpet, or seems to have a very high opinion of themselves the other person might say: No necesitas / tienes abuela. The idea is that normally grandmothers give uncritical praise. The other person is so overconfident that they don't even need praise or if they haven't got a grandmother they have to praise themselves. The translation of to blow your own trumpet is probably "fanfarronear" The person who does it is a "fanfarrón" eg: "no seas fanfarrón" = don't be a big-head