Japanese 310 - More family members

QuestionAnswer
(your own) wife
つまtuma
(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。tuma to kodomotati to issyo ni sunde imasu.
My wife is my best friend.
つま は わたし の しんゆう です。tuma ha watasi no sinyuu 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 ha isya 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 ha totemo sinsetu 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 ha atarasii sigoto wo hazimemasita.
(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 kaisya ha tosin 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 yuuzintati to baabekyuu wo tanosinda.
husband
(ご)しゅじん(go)syuzin

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。syuzin to firumu wo mi ni ikimasu.
Is your husband well?
しゅじん は おげん です か。gosyuzin ha ogenki desu ka.
family
ぞくkazoku
My family consists of four people.
わたし の ぞく は にん です。watasi no kazoku ha 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 ha tanosikatta desu.
How is your family? (Is your family well?)
ぞく は げん です か。gokazoku ha 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 ha sensei desu.
(I) gave flowers to my mother.
ははおや に はな を げました。hahaoya ni hana wo agemasita.
father
ちちおやtitioya
My father reads the newspaper every day.
ちちおや は まいにち しんぶん を みます。titioya ha mainiti sinbun wo yomimasu.
Her father is a famous painter.
かのじょ の ちちおや は ゆうめいな  だ。kanozyo no titioya ha 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 ha kyuuzyussai 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 ha yama no naka ni aru.
grandfather; old man
(お)さん(o)ziisan
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。oziisan no ie ha mati no tyuusin ni arimasu.
Yamada's grandfather is a novelist.
やまさん の おさん は さっ です。yamadasan no oziisan ha sakka desu.
grandfather
sohu

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。sohu ha nanazyussai 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 sohu ha toukyou ni sunde imasita.
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 ha 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。kanozyo no sobo ha kokoro no byouki wo motte imasita.

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akatyan
The baby drinks milk.
あかちゃん は ミルク を みます。akatyan ha miruku wo nomimasu.
The baby has started walking.
あかちゃん は あるき はじめました。akatyan ha aruki hazimemasita.
uncle
ozi
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。ozi ha kodomotati 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 ozisan ha watasi no kaisya 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 ozisan ha kare no hahakata no ozisan 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 ha mainen kaigairyokou wo tanosinde imasu.
owner (of a store); landlord
しゅじんsyuzin
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 ha ano omise no syuzin desu ka.
paternal side
ちちかたtitikata
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。titikata no obaasan ha kaigai de umaremasita.
family photo
ぞくしゃしんkazokusyasin
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。watasitati ha maitosi kazokusyasin wo torimasu.

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