Language/Western-frisian/Vocabulary/Family-Members
In this lesson, you will learn the Western Frisian vocabulary for different family members, including parents, siblings, and extended family. Understanding family relationships is important to navigate social situations and build connections with others, so let's get started!
Immediate Family
Parents
In Western Frisian, there are different words for mother and father:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| mem | [mɛm] | mother |
| heit | [hɛit] | father |
To refer to both parents, you can use the phrase "âlden" (parents).
Siblings
There are different words for brothers and sisters in Western Frisian, depending on their age and gender:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| broer | [broːr] | brother |
| sus | [sʏs] | sister (from "suster") |
| syster | [sistɛr] | sister (formal) |
To refer to a brother and a sister together, you can use the phrase "broers en susters."
Extended Family
Grandparents
In Western Frisian, there are specific words to differentiate between maternal and paternal grandparents:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| pake | [ˈpɑkə] | grandfather (paternal) |
| beppe | [ˈbɛpə] | grandmother (paternal) |
| heit/dei | [hɛit/dɛi] | grandfather (maternal) |
| memme/dei | [mɛmə/dɛi] | grandmother (maternal) |
Aunts and Uncles
In Western Frisian, the words for aunts and uncles depend on the gender of the sibling of one's parent:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| muoike | [ˈmʏikə] | aunt (mother's sister) |
| omke | [ˈɔmkə] | uncle (mother's brother) |
| taante | [ˈtaːntə] | aunt (father's sister) |
| kloansizzer | [ˈkloːnsɪtsər] | cousin |
Cousins
The word for cousin in Western Frisian is "kloansizzer." You can use this word for both male and female cousins, as there are no different words for cousin based on gender.
Nephews and Nieces
In Western Frisian, there are different words for nephews and nieces:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| neef | [neːf] | nephew |
| nicht | [nɪxt] | niece |
In-Laws
In Western Frisian, there are different words to describe relationships through marriage:
| Western Frisian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| skonheit | [ˈskɔn.hɛit] | mother-in-law |
| skoanheit | [ˈskoɑn.hɛit] | father-in-law |
| skwager | [ˈskwaːɣər] | brother-in-law |
| skwester | [ˈskwɛstər] | sister-in-law |
Other Kinship Terms
Here are some other terms for family members that might come in handy:
- berntsje - child
- famke - girl
- jonge - boy
- neiteam - descendant
- stambeam - family tree
Congratulations, you now know the vocabulary for different family members in Western Frisian! Practice using these words in context to improve your skills and build connections with others.