Family 1 · e25e0b1493ad62c09ab0d06935f2fb94

The parent trap!

Meine Eltern sind toll!​
My parents are great!​

In English, we can talk about being a parent. However, in German, the word Eltern is always plural and can only mean parents!​

Pronunciation

Let’s practice the word Familie. It might look like the English word family, but it’s not pronounced the same! It has four syllables‑‑listen!​

FamilieFamilie ​
(fah‑MEE‑lee‑uh)

The words Schwester and Geschwister may look and sound similar, but they mean different things! Listen to the sound differences:

SchwesterSchwester ​
(“e” as in “wet”)
GeschwisterGeschwister ​
(“i” as in “in”)

Mom and Dad

mein Vater und meine Mutter​
my father and my mother​

From 1949 ‑ 1990, Germany was separated into two countries: East Germany and West Germany. Even though Germany is one country today, you still might hear small differences in vocabulary depending on where you are!

For example, along with Mutter, Mama, Vater, and Papa, you might also hear Mutti and Vati! These words were used in former East Germany and are still used in this area today.