Vocabulary Lessons

Family relationships are an important part of our lives, from the birth of children to weddings, to our old age. However, learning to get along with everyone is sometimes a challenge.

Listen to the words below. Write a sample sentence for each word to practice how it is used in context. You can use the internet to find such sentences.

Listen to the recording to hear how the words are pronounced.

• brother (noun): a male sibling; a boy or man who has at least one parent in common with another person
  – Her brother is two years older than she is.
• cousin (noun): the child of a parent’s sibling
  – We see our cousins every Thanksgiving at our grandparents’ house.
• ex-husband (noun): a man who was previously married to someone but is now divorced from them
  – Her ex-husband still picks up the kids every weekend.
• family (noun): a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption
  – His family gets together every summer for a reunion.
• father (noun): a male parent
  – Her father taught her how to ride a bike when she was five.
• father-in-law (noun): the father of one’s spouse
  – Her father-in-law always tells funny stories at family dinners.
• fiancé (noun): a man to whom someone is engaged to be married (note: the female spelling is fiancée, with two “e”s; both words are pronounced the same way)
  – She introduced her fiancé to her parents for the first time last weekend.
• girlfriend (noun): a woman with whom someone has a romantic relationship
  – He brought his girlfriend to the family barbecue.
• grandparents (noun): the parents of one’s parent
  – She visits her grandparents every Sunday for lunch.
• husband (noun): a man who is married to someone
  – Her husband surprised her with flowers on their anniversary.
• mother (noun): a female parent
  – His mother called him every Sunday to catch up.
• nephew (noun): the son of one’s sibling
  – Her nephew just started kindergarten this year.
• niece (noun): the daughter of one’s sibling
  – His niece loves to draw and wants to be an artist someday.
• sister (noun): a female sibling; a girl or woman who has at least one parent in common with another person
  – Her sister lives just a few blocks away from her.
• step-brother (noun): the son of one’s step-parent
  – After his parents remarried, he gained a step-brother who was the same age as him.
• twin (noun): one of two children born to the same mother at the same time
  – She and her twin sister look so alike that even their teachers get them confused.
• widow (noun): a woman whose husband has died and who has not remarried
  – She became a widow after her husband passed away last spring.
  widower (noun): a man whose wife has died and who has not remarried
  – As a widower, he found it hard to adjust to living alone after so many years.
• wife (noun): a woman who is married to someone
  – His wife is a nurse at the local hospital.
• get along (well) with (phrasal verb): to have a friendly and harmonious relationship with someone
  – She has always gotten along well with her in-laws.
  – The two brothers don’t always get along, but they still care about each other.
• divorced (adjective): having legally ended a marriage
  – His parents got divorced when he was ten years old.
  (verb): to legally end a marriage
  – They decided to divorce after several years of problems in the relationship.
• married (adjective): having a spouse; joined in marriage
  – They have been married for over twenty years.
  tie the knot (idiom): to get married
  – They finally tied the knot after dating for five years.
• hang out with (phrasal verb): to spend time relaxing or socializing with someone
  – He loves to hang out with his cousins on the weekends.

Talk about your family, including what they do for a living, if they are married or not, and how well you get along with each member. Then, discuss what things contribute to a happy family (e.g., having things in common, sharing the same ideals and feelings, etc.). Search for advice and keys on raising a happy family. Finally, are these keys to success different from culture to culture?