Learning family members in Portuguese is a useful step for beginners who want to talk about people, relationships, introductions, and everyday life in Brazilian Portuguese.

Family vocabulary helps you describe your family, ask about other people’s families, and understand simple conversations about parents, siblings, children, grandparents, and relatives.

In this beginner-friendly guide, you will learn basic family vocabulary in Portuguese, including mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Family Members in Portuguese

Here are some of the most common family members in Brazilian Portuguese:

For another reference, you can also check this external list of family words in Portuguese.

How to Say Family in Portuguese

The word for family in Portuguese is família.

Família is a feminine noun, so you usually say a família.

Examples:

• Minha família = My family
• A minha família é grande. = My family is big.
• Eu amo minha família. = I love my family.

If you are still learning basic sentence patterns, you can also review our guide to common Portuguese phrases.

Mother, Father, and Parents in Portuguese

Two of the most important family words in Portuguese are mãe and pai.

• Mãe = Mother / Mom
• Pai = Father / Dad
• Pais = Parents

Be careful: pai means father, but pais means parents. The word país, with an accent, means country.

Examples:

• Minha mãe é brasileira. = My mother is Brazilian.
• Meu pai fala português. = My father speaks Portuguese.
• Meus pais moram no Brasil. = My parents live in Brazil.

This is a good place to notice meu and minha. In Portuguese, “my” can change depending on the noun:

• Meu pai = My father
• Minha mãe = My mother

Brother, Sister, and Siblings in Portuguese

Portuguese has different words for brother and sister.

• Irmão = Brother
• Irmã = Sister
• Irmãos = Brothers or siblings

In Portuguese, the masculine plural can be used for a mixed group. So irmãos can mean brothers or siblings, depending on the context.

Examples:

• Eu tenho um irmão. = I have one brother.
• Eu tenho uma irmã. = I have one sister.
• Eu tenho dois irmãos. = I have two brothers / two siblings.
• Eu tenho duas irmãs. = I have two sisters.

If you want to practice numbers in sentences like dois irmãos and duas irmãs, read our guide to numbers in Portuguese.

Son, Daughter, and Children in Portuguese

Portuguese also changes the word depending on gender.

• Filho = Son
• Filha = Daughter
• Filhos = Sons or children
• Crianças = Children

Filhos can mean sons, or it can mean children when talking about sons and daughters together.

Examples:

• Meu filho tem cinco anos. = My son is five years old.
• Minha filha tem oito anos. = My daughter is eight years old.
• Eu tenho dois filhos. = I have two children / two sons.
• As crianças estão em casa. = The children are at home.

In Portuguese, words like filho, filha, irmão, and irmã are good examples of how gender works in everyday vocabulary.

Grandmother, Grandfather, and Grandparents in Portuguese

Grandmother and grandfather in Portuguese are very similar, but the accent changes the meaning.

• Avó = Grandmother
• Avô = Grandfather
• Avós = Grandparents

Examples:

• Minha avó cozinha muito bem. = My grandmother cooks very well.
• Meu avô mora no Brasil. = My grandfather lives in Brazil.
• Meus avós são simpáticos. = My grandparents are kind.

The accent matters here. Avó and avô are not pronounced the same way.

Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin in Portuguese

Here are some common extended family words in Portuguese:

• Tia = Aunt
• Tio = Uncle
• Prima = Cousin, female
• Primo = Cousin, male

Examples:

• Minha tia mora aqui. = My aunt lives here.
• Meu tio fala inglês. = My uncle speaks English.
• Minha prima estuda português. = My female cousin studies Portuguese.
• Meu primo trabalha hoje. = My male cousin works today.

In Brazilian Portuguese, people sometimes use tio and tia affectionately for adults who are close to the family, even when they are not literally an uncle or aunt.

Using Family Vocabulary in Real Portuguese Sentences

Family vocabulary becomes more useful when you use it in real sentences.

• Esta é minha mãe. = This is my mother.
• Este é meu pai. = This is my father.
• Eu tenho uma irmã. = I have one sister.
• Meu irmão fala português. = My brother speaks Portuguese.
• Minha família mora no Canadá. = My family lives in Canada.

If you want to describe people using basic adjectives, you can also review our guide to ser vs estar in Portuguese.

Common Mistakes with Family Members in Portuguese

One common mistake is confusing pais and país.

• Pais = Parents
• País = Country

Another common mistake is forgetting that many family words change between masculine and feminine forms.

• Meu irmão = My brother
• Minha irmã = My sister
• Meu filho = My son
• Minha filha = My daughter

A third common mistake is assuming that irmãos only means brothers. It can also mean siblings, depending on the context.

A Simple Family Introduction in Portuguese

Here is a short beginner-friendly example:

Oi, eu sou Ana.

Minha família é pequena.

Eu tenho uma irmã.

Minha mãe fala português.

Meu pai fala inglês.

English meaning:

Hi, I am Ana.

My family is small.

I have one sister.

My mother speaks Portuguese.

My father speaks English.

Quick Practice

Try translating these family words into Portuguese:

1. Family
2. Mother
3. Father
4. Brother
5. Sister
6. Grandmother
7. Grandfather
8. Cousin, male
9. Cousin, female
10. My family

Answers:

1. Família
2. Mãe
3. Pai
4. Irmão
5. Irmã
6. Avó
7. Avô
8. Primo
9. Prima
10. Minha família

Final Takeaway

Learning family members in Portuguese helps you talk about people, relationships, introductions, and everyday life.

Start with these essential words:

• Família = Family
• Mãe = Mother
• Pai = Father
• Irmão = Brother
• Irmã = Sister
• Filho = Son
• Filha = Daughter
• Avó = Grandmother
• Avô = Grandfather
• Tia = Aunt
• Tio = Uncle
• Prima = Cousin, female
• Primo = Cousin, male

After learning family vocabulary, you can keep practicing beginner Portuguese with our guide to months in Portuguese.

Keep Learning with Papagaio School

Want to learn Brazilian Portuguese with simple examples, real conversations, and beginner-friendly lessons?

Book a class with Papagaio School or take our Portuguese level quiz.

SIGN UP TO GET MORE FREE LESSONS!