Language/Hebrew/Vocabulary/Family-Members

Hebrew Vocabulary → Everyday Hebrew Vocabulary → Family Members

As a Hebrew language teacher with 20 years of experience, one of the most important lessons in any Hebrew course is learning the Hebrew words for family members. Family is a central value in Hebrew culture, and having a solid understanding of these words and how to use them in sentences is essential for communication. In this lesson, you will learn the vocabulary for immediate and extended family, and how to properly use these words in Hebrew sentences.

Immediate Family

Immediate family consists of the people who are closest to us, typically related by marriage, blood or adoption. Here are some of the most common immediate family members and how to describe your relationship with them:

Hebrew	Pronunciation	English Translation
אבא	av	father
אמא	ima	mother
בן	ben	son
בת	bat	daughter
אח	ach	brother (older or younger)
אחות	achot	sister (older or younger)

Note: In the Hebrew language, most of the nouns referring to close family members undergo a specific morphological change when referred to a male or a female. The noun has a different ending for males and females. For example, the word for brother" (אח) would change its ending to -ה (ach אח -> ach**a** אחות) when referring to a female sibling.

To help you better understand how to use these words in context, here are some example sentences:

• אבא שלי עובד בבנק. (Avi sheli oved be-bank.) - "My father works at a bank."
• האמא שלי מבשלת טעים מאוד. (Haeema sheli mevashelat ta'im meod.) - "My mother is a really good cook."
• הבן שלי אוהב לשחק בכדורגל. (Haben sheli ohev lish'chock be-kaduregel.) - "My son loves playing soccer."
• הבת שלי לומדת פיסיקה באוניברסיטה. (Habat sheli lomedet fizika be-universita.) - "My daughter studies physics at university."
• אח שלי עובד בחברת הייטק. (Ach sheli oved bahevrat hi-tech.) - "My brother works at a high-tech company."
• האחות שלי נולדה בחו"ל וחזרה לארץ בגיל 14. (Haachot sheli noladah be-chutz-laaretz ve-chazra le-aretz be-gil 14.) - "My sister was born abroad and returned to Israel at the age of 14."

Extended Family

Extended family consists of relatives beyond just your immediate family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more distant relatives. These are important relationships to maintain in Hebrew culture, so it's important to know how to identify them using their Hebrew names:

Hebrew	Pronunciation	English Translation
סבא	saba	grandfather
סבתא	savta	grandmother
דוד	dod	uncle
דודה	doda	aunt
בן דוד	ben-dod	cousin (male)
בת דוד	bat-dod	cousin (female)

Here are some example sentences to help you use these words in context:

• הסבא שלי גר בבית קשישים. (Hasaba sheli gar be-beit kshishim.) - "My grandfather lives in a retirement home."
• הסבתא שלי מבשלת עוף טעים מאוד. (Hasavta sheli mevashelat oof ta'im meod.) - "My grandmother makes really good chicken."
• הדוד שלי מתעסק בתחום ההייטק. (Hadod sheli meta'asek betachum hahi-tech.) - "My uncle works in the high-tech sector."
• דודה שלי עובדת בחברת תקשורת. (Doda sheli ovedet bahevrat tikshoret.) - "My aunt works at a communications company."
• הבן דוד שלי גר באמריקה ונפגשים רק כשהוא בארץ. (Haben-dod sheli gar be-amerika unifgashim rak keshehu ba-aretz.) - "My cousin (male) lives in America and we only meet when he comes to Israel."
• יש לי בת דודה שהיא בת האחות של אמא שלי. (Yesh li bat-doda shehi bat ha-achot shel ima sheli.) - "I have a female cousin who is the daughter of my mother's sister."

Conclusion

Now that you have learned the Hebrew words for immediate and extended family members, you can start practicing using them in sentences. These words are essential for communicating with others in Hebrew, and can also help you better understand Hebrew conversation and culture. Keep practicing and expanding your Hebrew vocabulary to become even more proficient in the language.

Sources

• Hebrew Language
• Hebrew Grammar

Table of Contents - Hebrew Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Hebrew Alphabet

• Consonants
• Vowels
• Nikkud
• Reading Practice

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Everyday Hebrew Vocabulary

• Greetings
• Numbers
• Family Members
• Colors, Shapes, and Sizes
• Food and Drink
• Clothing
• Transportation and Travel
• Weather
• Time and Calendar

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Hebrew Grammar

• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Adjectives
• Verbs
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

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Israeli Culture

• Jewish Holidays
• Israeli Society
• Famous Israelis
• Israeli Cuisine

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Hebrew Expressions

• Common Phrases
• Slang
• Idioms

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Hebrew Numbers

• Ordinal Numbers
• Fractions and Decimals

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Hebrew Geography and Landmarks

• Cities and Regions
• Landmarks

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Hebrew Literature and Language

• Hebrew Poetry
• Hebrew Proverbs

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Grammar Review

• Review of Nouns and Pronouns
• Review of Adjectives
• Review of Verbs