Family (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Family
Learning to talk about family is essential for the Leaving Cert Spanish exam. This topic appears regularly in both oral and written components, so mastering these key terms and expressions will help you discuss family relationships, describe family members, and express opinions about family life.
Vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| los gemelos | twins |
| los hermanos | siblings |
| hijo/a único/a | an only child |
| una familia numerosa | a large family |
| una pareja | a couple |
| una viuda | a widow |
| madre soltera | single mother |
| padre soltero | single father |
| casarse | to get married |
| estar divorciado/a | to be divorced |
| estar separado/a | to be separated |
| estar en paro | to be unemployed |
Example sentences:
- Mis gemelos tienen ocho años. (My twins are eight years old.)
- Es hijo único pero quiere una familia numerosa. (He's an only child but wants a large family.)
- Se casaron el año pasado. (They got married last year.)
Family relationships and dynamics
These expressions help you describe how family members interact and the atmosphere within families. Pay attention to the reflexive verbs and prepositions used.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| llevarse bien con | to get on well with |
| discutir | to argue |
| quejarse | to complain |
| sobreproteger | to over-protect |
| echar una mano | to lend a hand |
| tener éxito | to be successful |
| un buen ambiente | a good atmosphere |
| una pelea | a fight |
Example sentences:
- Me llevo muy bien con mi hermana mayor. (I get on very well with my older sister.)
- Mis padres discuten sobre el dinero. (My parents argue about money.)
- Siempre me echa una mano con los deberes. (He/she always lends me a hand with homework.)
Note that llevarse bien is reflexive and requires the preposition con. The verb quejarse is also reflexive: me quejo, te quejas, se queja.
Essential expressions for describing your family
These ready-to-use phrases will help you talk about family composition and relationships naturally. They're particularly useful for oral exams and written tasks.
Family size and composition:
- Somos tres/cuatro/cinco en mi familia. (We are three/four/five in my family.)
- Tengo un hermano mayor. (I have an older brother.)
- Tengo una hermana menor. (I have a younger sister.)
- Tengo dos hermanos mayores. (I have two older brothers.)
The phrase Somos tres/cuatro/cinco en mi familia is the most natural way to describe family size in Spanish and sounds much more authentic than direct translations.
Birth order:
- Soy el/la mayor. (I'm the oldest.)
- Soy el/la menor. (I'm the youngest.)
- Soy el hijo/la hija del medio. (I'm the middle child.)
- Soy hijo único/hija única. (I'm an only child.)
Family relationships:
- Me llevo muy bien con mis hermanos. (I get on very well with my siblings.)
- Casi nunca nos peleamos. (We hardly ever argue.)
- Mis padres confían en mí y saben que soy responsable. (My parents trust me and know that I'm responsible.)
Family atmosphere:
- Hay un buen ambiente en nuestra familia. (There's a good atmosphere in our family.)
- Hay un mal ambiente en casa. (There's a bad atmosphere at home.)
- Mi madre es estricta y no me da mucha libertad. (My mother is strict and doesn't give me much freedom.)
Useful grammar points
When discussing family members, remember that adjectives must agree in gender and number:
- hermano mayor (older brother) / hermana mayor (older sister)
- hermanos mayores (older brothers/siblings) / hermanas mayores (older sisters)
The verb tener (to have) is irregular and essential for family descriptions:
- Tengo (I have), tienes (you have), tiene (he/she has)
Sample exam response
Worked Example: Family Description Response
Question: Describe your family and explain what kind of relationship you have with them.
Mi familia no es muy numerosa. Somos cuatro en total: mis padres, mi hermana mayor y yo. Soy la hija menor de la familia.
Me llevo bastante bien con mi hermana aunque a veces discutimos por cosas tontas. Ella estudia medicina en la universidad y siempre me echa una mano con los estudios. Mis padres son muy comprensivos pero también bastante estrictos. Confían en mí porque saben que soy responsable.
En general, hay un buen ambiente en nuestra familia. Casi nunca nos peleamos seriamente y nos apoyamos mucho. Los fines de semana solemos salir juntos o quedarnos en casa viendo películas. Creo que tengo mucha suerte con mi familia.
Translation: My family isn't very large. We are four in total: my parents, my older sister and me. I'm the youngest daughter in the family.
I get on quite well with my sister although sometimes we argue about silly things. She studies medicine at university and always lends me a hand with my studies. My parents are very understanding but also quite strict. They trust me because they know I'm responsible.
Generally, there's a good atmosphere in our family. We hardly ever argue seriously and we support each other a lot. At weekends we usually go out together or stay at home watching films. I think I'm very lucky with my family.
Key Points to Remember:
- Master the basic family vocabulary including gemelos, hermanos, and family situations like estar divorciado/a
- Use llevarse bien con to express good relationships and remember it needs the preposition con
- Learn the set expressions for family size: Somos tres/cuatro/cinco en mi familia
- Practice adjective agreement with family members: hermano mayor vs hermana mayor
- Know how to describe family atmosphere using hay un buen/mal ambiente to show variety in your Spanish