Family and people: mein, dein, Ihr
Talk about your family, introduce someone with Das ist ..., ask how old a person is and use mein, dein and Ihr for my and your.
People and things · Start from zero · 20 min · 20 exercises · Start from zero, High school, Goethe A1
After your name and your age, the next thing people ask about is your family: Hast du Geschwister? (Do you have siblings?). In this lesson you learn the family words with their articles and plurals, how to introduce someone with Das ist ..., and the little words for my and your: mein, dein and the formal Ihr. They follow one simple pattern, and you will use them in every conversation from now on.
The family
- die Familiedie Familienfamily
- die Mutterdie MüttermotherMama in everyday speech
- der Vaterdie VäterfatherPapa in everyday speech
- die Elternparentsalways plural
- die Schwesterdie Schwesternsister
- der Bruderdie Brüderbrother
- die Geschwistersiblings, brothers and sistersalways plural
- die Großmutterdie Großmüttergrandmotherdie Oma in everyday speech
- der Großvaterdie Großvätergrandfatherder Opa in everyday speech
- die Tochterdie Töchterdaughter
- der Sohndie Söhneson
- das Kinddie Kinderchild
- die Tantedie Tantenaunt
- der Onkeldie Onkelunclesame form in the plural
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
People and useful phrases
- der Manndie Männerman; husbandmein Mann = my husband
- die Fraudie Frauenwoman; wifemeine Frau = my wife
- der Freunddie Freundefriend (male)ein Freund von mir = a friend of mine
- die Freundindie Freundinnenfriend (female)eine Freundin von mir = a friend of mine
- der Familienstandmarital statusa box on every form
- ledigsingleon forms
- verheiratetmarriedon forms
- Wer ist das?Who is that?
- Das ist ...This is ... / That is ...for one person
- Das sind ...These are ...for several people
- Wie alt ist sie?How old is she?Wie alt ist er? for a male
- Hast du Geschwister?Do you have siblings?
- Ich habe zwei Geschwister.I have two siblings.
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
A photo of the family
Noah looks at a photo on Elif's phone during the break in Stuttgart.
mein, dein, Ihr: one pattern for my and your
To say my, your (to a friend) and your (formal), use mein, dein and Ihr before a der or das word, and meine, deine, Ihre before a die word or a plural: mein Vater, meine Mutter, meine Eltern. Remember it as: die takes the -e. The formal Ihr always has a capital I, like Sie: Ist das Ihr Sohn, Herr Berger?
my and your with the family words
| Noun | my | your (du) | your (Sie) |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Vater | mein Vater | dein Vater | Ihr Vater |
| die Mutter | meine Mutter | deine Mutter | Ihre Mutter |
| das Kind | mein Kind | dein Kind | Ihr Kind |
| die Eltern (plural) | meine Eltern | deine Eltern | Ihre Eltern |
Talking about people
- Das ist mein Bruder Jonas.This is my brother Jonas.der Bruder: mein
- Das sind meine Eltern.These are my parents.plural: sind, meine
- Wie alt ist dein Vater?How old is your father?to a friend
- Ist das Ihre Tochter, Frau Berger?Is that your daughter, Ms. Berger?formal Ihre, capital I
- Ich habe zwei Geschwister.I have two siblings.
- Meine Oma ist siebzig Jahre alt.My grandma is seventy years old.
Sie for the parents of your friends
Inside a family everyone uses du, and you say du to classmates and friends from the first minute. But the parents of a friend are adults you do not know well: address them with Sie and Herr or Frau plus the last name (Guten Tag, Frau Berger) until they offer du. On official forms you will meet the box Familienstand with the choices ledig (single), verheiratet (married), geschieden (divorced) and verwitwet (widowed); for most students the answer is ledig.
Learn each family word with its plural, because the plural changes the vowel: der Bruder, die Brüder; die Mutter, die Mütter; der Sohn, die Söhne. And remember the shortcut for my and your: if the word takes die (feminine or plural), add -e: meine, deine, Ihre. Otherwise no ending: mein, dein, Ihr.
Two things look alike but are not. Ihr with a capital I means your (formal); ihr with a small i means her or their, so write the capital when you talk to someone with Sie. Second, Eltern and Geschwister are always plural, so say Das sind meine Eltern, never das ist. And do not forget the umlaut in the plural: zwei Brüder, not zwei Bruder.
The exercises of this lesson
20 corrected exercises in two sessions (discovery, practice), including listening items read aloud by a German voice: multiple choice (4), fill in the gap (5), matching (3), sorting (2), word order (1), translation (3), find the mistake (1), gap text (1). Every answer is corrected immediately, with the rule that applies.