Family – Kazoku – かぞく

My Family or Yours? In Japanese there are two ways to say the different family members. It depends on if you are talking about your family, someone else's or speaking formally. There are also different ways to say brother and sister depending on if they are older or younger than you.

Father otousan お父さん chichi 父 Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal chichi 父 otousan お父さん

Mother okaasan お母さん haha 母 Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal haha 母 okaasan お母さん

Older Brother oniisan おにいさん ani あに Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal ani あに oniisan おにいさん

Younger Brother otoutosan おとうとさん otouto おとうと Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal otouto おとうと otoutosan おとうとさん

Older Sister oneesan おねえさん ane あね Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal ane あね oneesan おねえさん

Younger Sister imoutosan いもうとさん imouto いもうと Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal imouto いもうと imoutosan いもうとさん

Grandfather ojiisan おじいさん sofu そふ Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal sofu そふ ojiisan おじいさん

Grandmother obaasan おばあさん sobo そぼ Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal sobo そぼ obaasan おばあさん

Uncle ojisan おじさん oji おじ Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal oji おじ ojisan おじさん

Aunt obasan おばさん oba おば Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal oba おば obasan おばさん

Husband goshujin ごしゅじん shujin しゅじん Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal shujin しゅじん goshujin ごしゅじん

Wife okusan おくさん tsuma つうま Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal tsuma つうま okusan おくさん

Son musukosan むすこさん musuko むすこ Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal musuko むすこ musukosan むすこさん

Daughter musume むすめ ojousan おじょうさん Talking about Your Family Someone else’s / formal musume むすめ ojousan おじょうさん

Useful Words English Romaji Hiragana Family kazoku かぞく Your Family gokazoku ごかぞく Parents ryoushin りょうしん Sibling kyoudai きょうだい Child kodomo こども Cousin itoko いとこ Relatives shinseki しんせき Niece meisan めいさん Nephew oisan おいさん Twins futago ふたご

Useful Expressions English Romaji Hiragana Do you have brothers and sisters? kyoudai ga imasu ka. きょうだい が いますか。 How many people are in your family? gokazoku wa nan nin desu ka. ごかぞく は 何人　ですか。 4 people yo*nin desu. 四人 です。 *4 people is yonin not yonnin – there are a few more changes you’ll learn next lesson