Talk About Your Family and Relatives
When you learn Romanian, one of the most engaging topics is learning to talk about your family. Whether you’re introducing your parents, siblings, or extended relatives, understanding family vocabulary helps you build meaningful conversations and a personal connection with native speakers.
Family Vocabulary: Talking About Relatives in Romanian
In one of the first thematic lessons, learners are introduced to the nuclear and extended family using a visual family tree and real-life examples. Some key words include:
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| mamă | mother |
| tată | father |
| soră / frate | sister / brother |
| bunică / bunic | grandmother / grandfather |
| unchi / mătușă | uncle / aunt |
| verișor / verișoară | male cousin / female cousin |
| nepot / nepoată | grandson / granddaughter |
Example:
Aceasta este mama mea. El este fratele meu.
Andrei este unchiul meu. Maria este verișoara mea.
Learners also discuss modern family structures and cultural nuances in Romania. For instance, the use of “soț” (husband) and “soție” (wife), as well as terms like “cumnat” (brother-in-law) or “nași” (godparents), are highlighted in real-life context.
Building a Family Tree in Romanian
Using the arborele genealogic (family tree), students are encouraged to complete a visual map of their family members. This helps with both vocabulary recall and possessive grammar structures:
bunicul meu – my grandfather
mătușa ta – your aunt
verișorii lor – their cousins
They practice distinguishing between:
al meu / a mea / ai mei / ale mele (mine)
al tău / a ta / ai tăi / ale tale (yours)
and other possessive pronouns, depending on gender and number.
Grammar Focus: Possession and Identity
This topic introduces learners to essential grammatical patterns, such as:
The use of possessive adjectives: fratele meu, sora ta, bunica noastră
Understanding gender and number agreement between noun and adjective:
o soră frumoasă, doi frați deștepți
Describing family roles and relationships with simple verb structures:
Andi este tatăl Mariei.
Ei sunt familia mea.
Students build short dialogues and presentations:
Eu sunt fiica lui Andrei. Am un frate și două surori.
Mama mea se numește Irina. Ea este profesoară.
Start Talking About Your Life with Our Romanian Lessons
Family is a theme that connects us all — and learning to talk about your family in Romanian is a great way to personalize your language journey. At Punto Iberica, our Romanian lessons help you build vocabulary, structure your thoughts, and express your world clearly and with confidence. Take the next step and join a community where language and identity come together!
Visit our resource page for grammar guides, dictionaries, and pronunciation support.
Editorial Note: This content was created with AI assistance based on our team’s original ideas and pedagogical goals. It was carefully curated, edited, and finalized by a human to ensure quality and accuracy.
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