Talking about Family and Friends in Spanish

This section explains Talking about Family and Friends in Spanish. These revision notes provide both foundation and higher-tier examples for talking about family, friends, and relationships in Spanish. The examples and vocabulary are designed to help with describing personal connections and feelings about others, allowing you to speak about relationships in a variety of ways depending on the level of detail required.

Talking About Your Family

• Foundation Tier:
  • Introducing Family Members
    • Tengo una familia... = I have a... family
    • Mi madre es... = My mother is...
    • Mi padre se llama... = My father is called...
    • Tengo un hermano/a = I have a brother/sister
    • Example: Tengo una familia pequeña. Mi madre se llama Carmen y mi padre se llama José = I have a small family. My mother is called Carmen and my father is called José.
  • Talking About Your Siblings
    • Tengo un hermano/a mayor/menor = I have an older/younger brother/sister
    • No tengo hermanos = I don’t have siblings
    • Example: Tengo una hermana menor que se llama Laura = I have a younger sister called Laura.
  • Talking About Grandparents
    • Mis abuelos son... = My grandparents are...
    • Mi abuela vive en... = My grandmother lives in...
    • Example: Mis abuelos son muy simpáticos. Mi abuela vive en Madrid = My grandparents are very nice. My grandmother lives in Madrid.
• Higher Tier:
  • Describing Your Family in Detail
    • En mi familia somos... = In my family, we are...
    • Mi madre es... = My mother is...
    • Mi padre es... = My father is...
    • Mi hermano y yo somos... = My brother and I are...
    • Example: En mi familia somos cinco personas. Mi madre es muy cariñosa, mi padre es serio, y mis hermanos son divertidos = In my family, we are five people. My mother is very affectionate, my father is serious, and my siblings are fun.
  • Describing a Close Family Relationship
    • Tengo una relación muy cercana con... = I have a very close relationship with...
    • Me llevo muy bien con... = I get on very well with...
    • Example: Tengo una relación muy cercana con mi madre. Me lleva bien con mi padre también, pero con mis hermanos a veces discutimos = I have a very close relationship with my mother. I get on well with my father too, but with my siblings we sometimes argue.

Talking About Your Friends

• Foundation Tier:
  • Describing a Friend
    • Mi mejor amigo/a se llama... = My best friend is called...
    • Es muy... = He/She is very...
    • Example: Mi mejor amiga se llama Marta. Es muy simpática = My best friend is called Marta. She is very nice.
  • Talking About What You Do Together
    • Nos gusta... = We like...
    • Vamos a... = We go to...
    • Salimos juntos/as = We go out together
    • Example: Nos gusta ir al cine los sábados = We like going to the cinema on Saturdays.
  • Describing a Friendship
    • Es mi amigo/a desde hace... = He/She has been my friend for...
    • Es una persona en quien confío = He/She is a person I trust
    • Example: Es mi amiga desde hace diez años = She has been my friend for ten years.
• Higher Tier:
  • Describing a Close Friendship
    • Tengo una amistad muy especial con... = I have a very special friendship with...
    • Es una persona muy leal = He/She is a very loyal person
    • Example: Tengo una amistad muy especial con mi mejor amigo, Juan. Es una persona muy leal y siempre me apoya = I have a very special friendship with my best friend, Juan. He is a very loyal person and always supports me.
  • Talking About the Importance of Friends
    • Los amigos son muy importantes para mí = Friends are very important to me
    • Me ayudan cuando estoy triste = They help me when I’m sad
    • Example: Mis amigos son muy importantes para mí, me ayudan cuando estoy triste y siempre nos divertimos juntos = My friends are very important to me, they help me when I’m sad, and we always have fun together.
  • Describing What You Like Doing With Friends
    • Nos gusta hacer... = We like doing...
    • Disfrutamos de... = We enjoy...
    • Pasamos tiempo juntos... = We spend time together...
    • Example: Nos gusta hacer deporte juntos, sobre todo fútbol = We like playing sports together, especially football.

Talking About Relationships

• Foundation Tier:
  • Describing Relationships with Family Members
    • Me llevo bien con... = I get on well with...
    • Me llevo mal con... = I don’t get on well with...
    • Tengo una buena relación con... = I have a good relationship with...
    • Example: Me llevo muy bien con mi hermana, pero no me llevo bien con mi primo = I get on very well with my sister, but I don’t get on well with my cousin.
  • Describing Difficult Relationships
    • A veces discutimos sobre... = Sometimes we argue about...
    • No me entiendo bien con... = I don’t get on well with...
    • Example: A veces discutimos sobre tareas en casa = Sometimes we argue about chores at home.
• Higher Tier:
  • Describing Strong Family Relationships
    • Tengo una relación excelente con... = I have an excellent relationship with...
    • Nos apoyamos mutuamente = We support each other
    • Example: Tengo una relación excelente con mis padres, siempre nos apoyamos mutuamente = I have an excellent relationship with my parents, we always support each other.
  • Describing a Difficult Relationship
    • Mi relación con... es complicada = My relationship with... is complicated
    • A veces, no estamos de acuerdo en... = Sometimes, we don’t agree on...
    • Example: Mi relación con mi hermano es complicada porque a veces no estamos de acuerdo en nada = My relationship with my brother is complicated because sometimes we don’t agree on anything.
  • Resolving Conflicts
    • Es importante hablar para solucionar los problemas = It’s important to talk to solve problems
    • Intento comprender a... = I try to understand...
    • Example: Cuando tenemos un conflicto, es importante hablar y tratar de comprender al otro = When we have a conflict, it’s important to talk and try to understand the other person.

Key Vocabulary

• Family Members
  • Madre = Mother
  • Padre = Father
  • Hermano/a = Brother/Sister
  • Abuelo/a = Grandfather/Grandmother
  • Tío/a = Uncle/Aunt
  • Primo/a = Cousin
  • Suegro/a = Father-in-law/Mother-in-law
• Friendship/Relationships
  • Amigo/a = Friend
  • Mejor amigo/a = Best friend
  • Confianza = Trust
  • Apoyo = Support
  • Discusión = Argument
  • Reconciliarse = To make up
• Descriptive Adjectives
  • Cariñoso/a = Affectionate
  • Leal = Loyal
  • Divertido/a = Fun
  • Comprensivo/a = Understanding
  • Serio/a = Serious
  • Optimista = Optimistic
  • Egoísta = Selfish