Family Terms¶
Quick Reference
| Relationship | Formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| Father | 아버지 | 아빠 |
| Mother | 어머니 | 엄마 |
| Older brother (male speaker) | 형 | 형 |
| Older brother (female speaker) | 오빠 | 오빠 |
| Older sister (male speaker) | 누나 | 누나 |
| Older sister (female speaker) | 언니 | 언니 |
| Younger sibling | 남동생 (brother) / 여동생 (sister) | 동생 |
Parents and Grandparents¶
Parents¶
| Korean | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 아버지 | Father | Formal, when talking about your father to others |
| 아빠 | Dad | Informal, when addressing your father |
| 어머니 | Mother | Formal, when talking about your mother to others |
| 엄마 | Mom | Informal, when addressing your mother |
| 부모님 | Parents | Respectful way to refer to parents (님 = honorific) |
Examples: - 우리 아버지는 의사입니다. (My father is a doctor.) - 아빠, 이거 봐요! (Dad, look at this!) - 어머니께서 요리하고 계세요. (Mother is cooking.) - 부모님이 오셨어요. (My parents came.)
Grandparents¶
| Korean | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 할아버지 | Grandfather | Paternal or maternal |
| 할머니 | Grandmother | Paternal or maternal |
| 외할아버지 | Maternal grandfather | Specifically mother's father |
| 외할머니 | Maternal grandmother | Specifically mother's mother |
Examples: - 할아버지는 올해 80세입니다. (Grandfather is 80 years old this year.) - 외할머니 집에 갔어요. (I went to maternal grandmother's house.)
Siblings¶
Older Siblings (Gender and Speaker Matter!)¶
Korean sibling terms change based on: 1. The gender of the speaker 2. The gender of the sibling
From Male Speaker's Perspective¶
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 형 | Older brother | Used by males |
| 누나 | Older sister | Used by males |
From Female Speaker's Perspective¶
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 오빠 | Older brother | Used by females |
| 언니 | Older sister | Used by females |
Important: These terms are also used for close friends and romantic partners who are older, not just biological siblings.
Examples: - (Male speaking) 우리 형은 회사원이에요. (My older brother is an office worker.) - (Male speaking) 누나, 이거 도와주세요. (Older sister, please help me with this.) - (Female speaking) 오빠가 선물을 줬어요. (Older brother gave me a gift.) - (Female speaking) 언니랑 쇼핑 갔어요. (I went shopping with older sister.)
Younger Siblings¶
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 남동생 | Younger brother | Any speaker |
| 여동생 | Younger sister | Any speaker |
| 동생 | Younger sibling | Gender-neutral term |
Examples: - 남동생이 학생이에요. (My younger brother is a student.) - 여동생은 고등학생입니다. (My younger sister is a high school student.) - 동생이 두 명 있어요. (I have two younger siblings.)
Extended Family¶
Aunts and Uncles¶
The Korean system for aunts and uncles is specific about which side of the family and marriage status:
Father's Side¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 큰아버지 | Father's older brother |
| 작은아버지 | Father's younger brother |
| 고모 | Father's sister |
| 고모부 | Father's sister's husband |
Mother's Side¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 외삼촌 | Mother's brother |
| 이모 | Mother's sister |
| 이모부 | Mother's sister's husband |
Examples: - 고모가 미국에 살아요. (My paternal aunt lives in America.) - 이모부는 선생님이에요. (My maternal aunt's husband is a teacher.)
Cousins¶
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 사촌 | Cousin | General term |
| 사촌 형 | Older male cousin | Male speaker |
| 사촌 오빠 | Older male cousin | Female speaker |
| 사촌 누나 | Older female cousin | Male speaker |
| 사촌 언니 | Older female cousin | Female speaker |
| 사촌 동생 | Younger cousin | Any speaker |
Spouse and In-Laws¶
Spouse¶
| Korean | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 남편 | Husband | Formal |
| 아내 | Wife | Formal |
| 부인 | Wife | Very formal, respectful |
| 와이프 | Wife | Casual (from English "wife") |
Examples: - 제 남편은 엔지니어입니다. (My husband is an engineer.) - 아내가 의사예요. (My wife is a doctor.)
In-Laws¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 시어머니 | Husband's mother |
| 시아버지 | Husband's father |
| 장인어른 | Wife's father |
| 장모님 | Wife's mother |
| 시누이 | Husband's sister |
| 시동생 | Husband's younger brother |
| 처남 | Wife's younger brother |
| 처형 | Wife's older sister |
Children¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 아들 | Son |
| 딸 | Daughter |
| 자녀 | Children (formal) |
| 아이 | Child/children (informal) |
| 애기 / 아기 | Baby |
Examples: - 아들이 둘 있어요. (I have two sons.) - 딸이 대학생이에요. (My daughter is a university student.) - 아이가 몇 명이에요? (How many children do you have?)
Honorific Usage¶
When talking about someone else's family members, use honorific forms:
| Your family | Others' family |
|---|---|
| 아버지 | 아버님 |
| 어머니 | 어머님 |
| 할아버지 | 할아버님 |
| 할머니 | 할머님 |
| 아들 | 아드님 |
| 딸 | 따님 |
Examples: - 어머님은 어디 계세요? (Where is your mother?) - 따님이 정말 예쁘네요. (Your daughter is really pretty.)
Addressing vs. Referring¶
When addressing (calling) family members: - Use informal terms: 아빠, 엄마, 형, 언니, etc. - Often just use the relationship term as their name
When referring to (talking about) your family to others: - Use formal terms: 아버지, 어머니, 남동생, etc. - Shows respect in social contexts
Example: - To your father: "아빠, 밥 먹어요?" (Dad, shall we eat?) - About your father: "우리 아버지는 의사입니다." (My father is a doctor.)
Practice¶
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How does a male say "my older brother" in Korean?
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How does a female say "my older brother" in Korean?
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What's the formal way to say "parents"?
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You're a female talking about your older sister. What term do you use?
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What's the difference between 할아버지 and 외할아버지?
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How do you say "my younger sister"?
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You're male and talking to your older sister. How do you address her?
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What's the honorific way to refer to someone else's mother?
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How do you say "my mother is a teacher" using the formal term for mother?
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Translate: "I have an older brother and a younger sister" (as a female speaker).