Talking about family in Japanese

The idea

四人（よにん） counts four people; よっつ counts things instead. 妹（いもうと） means one's younger sister; 妹は大学生です says she is a university student. お母さん（おかあさん） is a polite way to refer to someone else's mother; when speaking to outsiders, one's own mother is usually 母（はは）.

Examples

• 家族かぞくは四人よにんです。There are four people in my family.
• 父ちちと母ははと妹いもうとと私わたしです。My father, mother, younger sister and I.
• 妹いもうとは大学生だいがくせいです。My younger sister is a university student.
• 父ちちは東京とうきょうに住すんでいます。My father lives in Tokyo.
• お母かあさんはお元気げんきですか。Is your mother well?
• はい、元気げんきです。ありがとうございます。Yes, she's well. Thank you.
• ご家族かぞくは何人なんにんですか。How many people are in your family?

Watch out

Family details can be private: share only what you want, and don't assume every family has the same structure.

Try it yourself

1. Choose and fill the blank: 家族かぞくは＿です。（よにん／よっつ）

   Show answer or example answer

   よにん

   四人（よにん） counts four people; よっつ counts things instead.

2. Choose and fill the blank: 妹いもうとは＿です。（だいがくせい／てんき）

   Show answer or example answer

   だいがくせい

   妹（いもうと） means one's younger sister; 妹は大学生です says she is a university student.

3. Choose and fill the blank: 「相手あいての母はは」は＿です。（おかあさん／はは）

   Show answer or example answer

   おかあさん

   お母さん（おかあさん） is a polite way to refer to someone else's mother; when speaking to outsiders, one's own mother is usually 母（はは）.

Use it today

Introduce your family as you wish, count its members and ask about someone else's mother.