Japanese 310 - More family members

QuestionAnswer
(your own) wife
つまtsuma
(I) live together with my wife and children.
つま と どもたち と いっしょ に んで います。tsuma to kodomotachi to issho ni sunde imasu.
My wife is my best friend.
つま は わたし の しんゆう です。tsuma wa watashi no shinyuu desu.
(someone else's) wife
おくさんokusan
Is your wife a doctor?
おくさん は しゃ です か。okusan wa isha desu ka.
Mr. Tanaka's wife is very kind.
なかさん の おくさん は とても しんせつ です。tanakasan no okusan wa totemo shinsetsu desu.
(your own) wife
ないkanai

This term is more old-fashioned and formal, and it's often used by older men when referring to their own wives, particularly in formal or public settings. It carries a more humble and traditional connotation.

Note how the kanji in this word correspond to traditional gender roles. Therefore, younger people tend to prefer using the word つま.

(I) love my wife's cooking.
ない の りょう が だいき です。kanai no ryouri ga daisuki desu.
My wife started a new job.
ない は あたらしい ごと を はじめました。kanai wa atarashii shigoto o hajimemashita.
(your own) husband
おっとotto
My husband's company is located in the city center.
おっと の かいしゃ は しん に あります。otto no kaisha wa toshin ni arimasu.
(I) enjoyed a barbecue with my husband's friends.
おっと の ゆうじんたち と バーベキュー を たのしんだ。otto no yuujintachi to baabekyuu o tanoshinda.
husband
(ご)しゅじん(go)shujin

Note how, just as with ない the kanji in this word correspond to traditional gender roles.

The problem is that though among friends you can use おっと, in a less casual setting there's not currently really a good alternative to しゅじん to politely refer to someone else's husband.

(I) will go to see a film with my husband.
しゅじん と フィルム を  に きます。shujin to firumu o mi ni ikimasu.
Is your husband well?
しゅじん は おげん です か。goshujin wa ogenki desu ka.
family
ぞくkazoku
My family consists of four people.
わたし の ぞく は にん です。watashi no kazoku wa yonin desu.
family trip
ぞくりょこうkazokuryokou
The family trip was fun.
ぞくりょこう は たのしかった です。kazokuryokou wa tanoshikatta desu.
How is your family? (Is your family well?)
ぞく は げん です か。gokazoku wa genki desu ka.
mother
ははおやhahaoya
His mother is a teacher.
かれ の ははおや は せんせい です。kare no hahaoya wa sensei desu.
(I) gave flowers to my mother.
ははおや に はな を げました。hahaoya ni hana o agemashita.
father
ちちおやchichioya
My father reads the newspaper every day.
ちちおや は まいにち しんぶん を みます。chichioya wa mainichi shinbun o yomimasu.
Her father is a famous painter.
かのじょ の ちちおや は ゆうめいな  だ。kanojo no chichioya wa yuumeina gaka da.
grandmother; old lady
(お)ばあさん(o)baasan
His grandmother is 90 years old.
かれ の おばあさん は きゅうじゅっさい です。kare no obaasan wa kyuujussai desu.
Grandmother's house is in the mountains.
ばあさん の いえ は やま の なか に ある。obaasan no ie wa yama no naka ni aru.
grandfather; old man
(お)さん(o)jiisan
Grandfather's house is in the center of town.
さん の いえ は まち の ちゅうしん に あります。ojiisan no ie wa machi no chuushin ni arimasu.
Yamada's grandfather is a novelist.
やまさん の おさん は さっ です。yamadasan no ojiisan wa sakka desu.
grandfather
sofu

is a formal alternative for grandfather. You might encounter this word in written contexts or official documents. In most contexts it's advised to use じいさんさん instead, as it sounds more friendly and respectful.

to pass away; to die
くなるnakunaru
My grandfather passed away at the age of seventy.
 は ななじゅっさい で くなった。sofu wa nanajussai de nakunatta.
His grandfather lived in Tokyo.
かれ の  は とうきょう に んで いました。kare no sofu wa toukyou ni sunde imashita.
grandmother
sobo

is a formal alternative for grandmother. You might encounter this word in written contexts or official documents. In most contexts it's advised to use ばあさん instead, as it sounds more friendly and respectful.

My grandmother died of cancer.
 は ガン で くなった。sobo wa gan de nakunatta.
Her grandmother had a heart disease.
かのじょ の  は こころ の びょう を って いました。kanojo no sobo wa kokoro no byouki o motte imashita.

Using って いる suggests that the condition or disease is chronic, whereas かかって いる is neutral with respect to duration.

baby, infant
あかちゃんakachan
The baby drinks milk.
あかちゃん は ミルク を みます。akachan wa miruku o nomimasu.
The baby has started walking.
あかちゃん は あるき はじめました。akachan wa aruki hajimemashita.
uncle
oji
My uncle plays with the kids in the park.
 は どもたち と こうえん で あそびます。oji wa kodomotachi to kouen de asobimasu.
Mr. Tanaka's uncle works at my company.
なかさん の さん は わたし の かいしゃ で はたらいて います。tanakasan no ojisan wa watashi no kaisha de hataraite imasu.
maternal side
ははかたhahakata
That uncle is his maternal uncle.
あの さん は かれ の ははかた の さん です。ano ojisan wa kare no hahakata no ojisan desu.
aunt
oba
overseas, abroad, foreign
かいがいkaigai
overseas trip; travel abroad
かいがいりょこうkaigairyokou
every year
まいねんmainen
My aunt enjoys traveling abroad every year.
 は まいねん かいがいりょこう を たのしんで います。oba wa mainen kaigairyokou o tanoshinde imasu.
owner (of a store); landlord
しゅじんshujin
Is Mr. Yamada's aunt the owner of that shop?
やまさん の さん は あの おみせ の しゅじん です か。yamadasan no obasan wa ano omise no shujin desu ka.
paternal side
ちちかたchichikata
My paternal grandmother was born overseas.
ちちかた の おばあさん は かいがい で まれました。chichikata no obaasan wa kaigai de umaremashita.
family photo
ぞくしゃしんkazokushashin
We take a family photo every year.
わたしたち は まいとし ぞくしゃしん を ります。watashitachi wa maitoshi kazokushashin o torimasu.

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