Family Words in Portuguese and Warm Ways to Address Relatives

Family is central to life in the Portuguese-speaking world, and the vocabulary is rich and affectionate.

Immediate family

English	Portuguese
mother	mãe
father	pai
parents	pais
brother	irmão
sister	irmã
son	filho
daughter	filha
children	filhos
husband	marido
wife	mulher, esposa

Pais means "parents", while parentes means "relatives", a classic false friend.

Extended family

English	Portuguese
grandfather	avô
grandmother	avó
grandparents	avós
uncle	tio
aunt	tia
cousin	primo / prima
nephew / niece	sobrinho / sobrinha
grandson / granddaughter	neto / neta
father-in-law	sogro
mother-in-law	sogra
son-in-law	genro
daughter-in-law	nora
brother-in-law	cunhado
sister-in-law	cunhada

Godparents

Padrinho (godfather) and madrinha (godmother) are important figures in many families.

Affectionate forms

• mamãe / mãezinha and papai / paizinho in Brazil (mummy, daddy)
• vovó / vovô for grandma and grandpa in Brazil, avozinha / avozinho in Portugal
• filhinho / filhinha — little son, little daughter
• titio / titia — auntie, uncle

The diminutive endings -inho and -inha add warmth.

Using family words for others

Family words are used for friends and neighbours as a mark of affection or respect:

• tia for a friendly older woman
• tio for an older man

Useful sentences

• Esta é a minha família. — This is my family.
• Tenho dois irmãos e uma irmã. — I have two brothers and a sister.
• Meus avós moram no interior. — My grandparents live in the countryside.
• Sou filho único. / Sou filha única. — I'm an only child.
• Sou casado / casada. — I'm married.

Tips

1. Learn pais versus parentes.
2. Notice diminutives as affection.
3. Use the dictionary to check gender and plural forms.

Look up any word with English Portuguese Dictionary →