Family and Relatives Talk

Emma: Hello and welcome to the LexUnio podcast.

Ben: Hi everyone, I’m Ben.

Emma: And I’m Emma.

Ben: Today’s topic is “Family and Relatives Talk”.

Emma: We will introduce family vocabulary and practice it together.

Ben: Let’s start with the word “family”.

Emma: Family means all the people who are related to you.

Ben: For example, my family lives in a small house.

Emma: That’s a good sentence.

Ben: Who is in your family?

Emma: In my family there is my mother, my father, my sister and my brother.

Ben: Great! Let’s say each person’s name.

Emma: My mother is called Linda.

Ben: My father is called John.

Emma: My sister’s name is Sara.

Ben: My brother is Mike.

Emma: Now let’s learn the words for each family member.

Ben: First, mother.

Emma: Mother is a woman who has you. You can also say “mom” or “mum”.

Ben: Father is the man who has you. You can also say “dad”.

Emma: Grandmother is your mother’s or father’s mother.

Ben: Grandfather is your mother’s or father’s father.

Emma: Aunt is your parent’s sister.

Ben: Uncle is your parent’s brother.

Emma: Cousin is the child of your aunt or uncle.

Ben: Sister is a girl who has the same parents as you.

Emma: Brother is a boy who has the same parents as you.

Ben: Let’s add more words.

Emma: Son is a male child.

Ben: Daughter is a female child.

Emma: Wife is a woman you are married to.

Ben: Husband is a man you are married to.

Emma: Grandson is the son of your child.

Ben: Granddaughter is the daughter of your child.

Emma: Nephew is your brother’s or sister’s son.

Ben: Niece is your brother’s or sister’s daughter.

Emma: Now we have the basic words. Let’s use them in short sentences.

Ben: My mother works in a shop.

Emma: My father likes to garden.

Ben: My sister studies at university.

Emma: My brother plays football on weekends.

Ben: My aunt lives in the city.

Emma: My uncle works as a teacher.

Ben: My cousin is twelve years old.

Emma: My grandmother makes delicious soup.

Ben: My grandfather tells great stories.

Emma: My son loves dinosaurs.

Ben: My daughter enjoys drawing.

Emma: My wife is a great cook.

Ben: My husband reads the newspaper every morning.

Emma: My grandson can count to twenty.

Ben: My granddaughter sings in a choir.

Emma: My nephew rides a bike.

Ben: My niece likes to paint.

Emma: Let’s talk about how to ask about family.

Ben: You can ask, “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

Emma: Or, “How many people are in your family?”

Ben: Another question is, “Where does your family live?”

Emma: You can also ask, “What does your mother do?”

Ben: Let’s practice a short conversation.

Emma: Hi Ben, do you have any siblings?

Ben: Yes, I have one brother and one sister. How about you?

Emma: I have a younger brother and an older sister.

Ben: That’s nice. What does your mother do?

Emma: She is a nurse. And your father?

Ben: My father is a mechanic.

Emma: Where does your family live?

Ben: We live in a small town near the river.

Emma: My family lives in the city.

Ben: Do you see your grandparents often?

Emma: Yes, I visit them every month.

Ben: I only see mine during holidays.

Emma: Let’s review the words with a quick game. I will say a definition, and you say the word.

Ben: Sounds fun!

Emma: A male child of your child.

Ben: Grandson.

Emma: The sister of your mother.

Ben: Aunt.

Emma: The son of your brother.

Ben: Nephew.

Emma: The daughter of your sister.

Ben: Niece.

Emma: Your father's father.

Ben: Grandfather.

Ben: My turn. A woman who has you.

Emma: Mother.

Ben: A man who is married to you.

Emma: Husband.

Ben: A female child.

Emma: Daughter.

Ben: The child of your aunt or uncle.

Emma: Cousin.

Emma: Great job! Now let’s talk about family activities.

Ben: My family likes to have dinner together on Sundays.

Emma: My family goes to the park on Saturdays.

Ben: We also watch movies at home.

Emma: My family plays board games in the evening.

Ben: What about holidays?

Emma: We visit my grandparents during Christmas.

Ben: I travel to see my aunt and uncle in the summer.

Emma: My sister and I help my mother cook a big meal.

Ben: My brother helps my father fix the car.

Emma: Let’s end this section with a short summary.

Ben: We learned the main family words: mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousin, son, daughter, wife, husband, grandson, granddaughter, nephew, niece.

Emma: We practiced simple sentences and questions about family.

Ben: And we used the words in a short dialogue.

Emma: That’s all for the “Introducing Family Vocabulary” part.

Ben: In the next section we will talk about feelings and relationships in the family.

Emma: Thank you for listening to LexUnio.

Ben: See you next time!

Emma: Let’s talk about how we can describe our families in English.

Ben: Great idea, Emma. I’ll start with my family. I have a small family.

Emma: How many people are there?

Ben: There are four of us: my parents, my younger sister and me.

Emma: What do your parents do?

Ben: My mother works as a nurse in the city hospital. She loves helping people.

Emma: That’s nice. And your father?

Ben: He is a carpenter. He builds furniture for houses. He likes to work with his hands.

Emma: Do you live together?

Ben: Yes, we all live in a flat near the park. My sister and I share a bedroom.

Emma: What is your sister like?

Ben: She is ten years old. She likes drawing and playing the piano. She is very friendly.

Emma: Does she go to school?

Ben: Yes, she goes to the local primary school. She is in class three.

Emma: Do you have any grandparents?

Ben: Yes, my grandparents live in a nearby town. My grandmother is a great cook. She makes the best soup.

Emma: Do you visit them often?

Ben: I visit them every Sunday. We have lunch together and talk about the week.

Emma: That sounds lovely. I have a bigger family. I have five siblings.

Ben: Wow, five! How many brothers and sisters?

Emma: I have two brothers and three sisters. My oldest brother is twenty‑four.

Ben: What does he do?

Emma: He works as a teacher at a high school. He teaches maths.

Ben: And the younger brother?

Emma: He is seventeen and still in school. He likes playing football after class.

Ben: What about your sisters?

Emma: My oldest sister is twenty‑one. She studies at university. She is studying biology.

Ben: That’s interesting. Does she have a job?

Emma: She works part‑time in a library. She loves books.

Ben: And the other two sisters?

Emma: The middle sister is fifteen. She goes to a music school and plays the violin. The youngest sister is nine. She is in primary school and she loves animals.

Ben: Do you all live together?

Emma: Yes, we all live in a big house with a garden. My parents own the house.

Ben: What do your parents do?

Emma: My mother is a dentist. She works in a clinic downtown. My father is an accountant. He works in an office.

Ben: Do you have any pets?

Emma: Yes, we have a dog named Bella. She is a golden retriever. She is very friendly and likes to run in the garden.

Ben: I have a cat called Milo. He is a bit shy but very sweet.

Emma: Do you talk about your family often with friends?

Ben: Yes, I often tell my friends about my sister’s piano concerts. They are very proud of her.

Emma: I tell my friends about my brother’s football matches. He scores many goals.

Ben: How do you describe your family’s personality?

Emma: I would say my family is close‑knit. We spend a lot of time together. We help each other.

Ben: Same here. My family is supportive. My mother always helps me with my homework.

Emma: Do you have any family traditions?

Ben: Yes, every Christmas we bake cookies together. My father makes gingerbread, and my mother decorates them.

Emma: That sounds delicious. In my family, we have a tradition of a Sunday dinner. We all cook together and eat at six o’clock.

Ben: What do you usually eat?

Emma: We make roast chicken, potatoes, and a big salad. My mother also makes a special dessert called apple crumble.

Ben: My family likes pizza night. We order different toppings and share the pizza.

Emma: Do you ever travel with your family?

Ben: Yes, last summer we went to the beach for a weekend. We built sandcastles and swam in the sea.

Emma: My family went to the mountains last year. We hiked and saw a beautiful lake.

Ben: Do you have any cousins?

Emma: I have three cousins. One lives in another city, another lives abroad, and the third lives nearby. We meet at family reunions.

Ben: I have two cousins. We usually see each other at holidays. They are older than me, so they help me with school projects.

Emma: How do you talk about your relatives in English?

Ben: We can use words like aunt, uncle, cousin, nephew and niece. For example, my aunt lives in London.

Emma: And my uncle works as an engineer. He visits us often.

Ben: Do you have any nephews or nieces?

Emma: Yes, my brother has a daughter. She is five years old. I call her my niece.

Ben: I have a nephew who is three. He loves dinosaurs.

Emma: Do you know how to ask someone about their family?

Ben: Yes, we can ask “How many people are in your family?” or “Do you have any siblings?”

Emma: And we can also say “What does your mother do?” or “Where does your father work?”

Ben: Exactly. It’s useful to know these questions for everyday conversation.

Emma: Let’s practice a short dialogue. I will ask a question and you answer.

Ben: Okay, go ahead.

Emma: How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Ben: I have one younger brother.

Emma: What does he do?

Ben: He is a student. He studies computer science.

Emma: Do you live together?

Ben: No, he lives in a student flat near the university.

Emma: Do you see each other often?

Ben: Yes, we meet on weekends. We play video games and talk about our week.

Emma: Great! Now I’ll answer. I have two sisters and one brother. My sister Anna is a doctor. My sister Maya is a teacher. My brother Luca works as a chef.

Ben: That’s a busy family! Do you all live in the same house?

Emma: Yes, we live together with our parents. It is a big house with a garden.

Ben: Do you have any pets?

Emma: Yes, we have two cats, Luna and Snow. They love to chase butterflies in the garden.

Emma: Let’s finish with one more tip. When we talk about family, we can use “my family is …” to describe the whole group. For example, “My family is very musical.”

Ben: Or “My family is sporty.” That helps give a quick picture.

Emma: Remember to use simple words and short sentences, especially at the A2 level.

Ben: Practice these sentences with a friend or a teacher, and you will feel more confident.

Emma: That’s all for today’s section on describing your family.

Ben: Keep practicing, and you’ll be able to talk about your relatives easily.

Emma: Welcome back, Ben. Let’s start sharing some family stories.

Ben: Great idea, Emma. Stories help us remember words better.

Emma: I’ll go first. When I was ten, my grandmother taught me how to bake an apple pie.

Ben: That sounds delicious. What did you learn?

Emma: She showed me how to mix flour, butter, and water for the crust. Then we peeled apples together.

Ben: Did you use a rolling pin?

Emma: Yes, she let me roll the dough. It was a little messy, but fun.

Ben: I remember a story from my family too. My uncle was a fisherman. He took me on his boat when I was eight.

Emma: Wow, that must have been exciting.

Ben: It was! He taught me how to tie a simple knot. The knot is called a “clove hitch.”

Emma: I’ve heard of that knot. Did you catch any fish?

Ben: We caught a small cod. I was so proud. My uncle said, “You are a good sailor now.”

Emma: That’s a nice compliment. My brother once surprised us with a birthday cake.

Ben: Did he bake it himself?

Emma: No, he bought it, but he decorated it with candles and chocolate chips. He sang a funny song while we ate.

Ben: Funny songs are the best at birthdays. My cousin, Lina, once told us a ghost story at a family camp.

Emma: A ghost story? That sounds scary!

Ben: It was. She said the forest was haunted by a friendly ghost who liked to hide socks.

Emma: Hiding socks? That made us laugh. We all searched for missing socks the next day.

Ben: Did you find any?

Emma: We found a pair in a tree hollow. We thought the ghost was playing a trick.

Ben: My aunt loves gardening. She grew a huge pumpkin for the harvest festival.

Emma: How big was it?

Ben: About thirty kilograms. She said it was the biggest pumpkin in the whole town.

Emma: That’s impressive! Did she make anything with it?

Ben: Yes, she made pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie. Everyone loved it.

Emma: My family has a tradition too. Every Sunday we have a big lunch at my grandparents’ house.

Ben: What do you usually eat?

Emma: My grandmother makes roast chicken, potatoes, and a big salad. After lunch we play board games.

Ben: Which game do you play?

Emma: Mostly “Ludo” and “Scrabble.” My grandfather always wins at Scrabble.

Ben: He must have a big vocabulary. My dad tells us stories about his childhood in the countryside.

Emma: What kind of stories?

Ben: He talks about climbing trees, catching frogs, and riding a horse without a saddle.

Emma: Riding a horse without a saddle sounds dangerous!

Ben: He says it was safe because the horse was very calm. He also remembers the sound of the church bells at night.

Emma: I love the sound of church bells. They remind me of holidays.

Ben: Speaking of holidays, my family once went to the beach for a week.

Emma: Which beach?

Ben: A small town on the coast, called Seaview. We built a sandcastle that was ten meters long.

Emma: Ten meters? That is huge!

Ben: It took all of us three days. My sister painted shells on the walls.

Emma: That must have looked beautiful. Did the tide wash it away?

Ben: Yes, the next morning the sea took most of it, but we were happy with our work.

Emma: My sister once performed a dance at the school talent show.

Ben: Did she enjoy it?

Emma: She was nervous at first, but when the music started she smiled and danced very well.

Ben: That’s wonderful. Did anyone take a video?

Emma: My brother recorded it on his phone. He showed it to the whole family later.

Ben: I have a funny story about my cousin’s pet rabbit.

Emma: A rabbit? Tell me!

Ben: The rabbit escaped from its cage during a family dinner. It hopped onto the table and stole a carrot from the salad.

Emma: The rabbit liked carrots, of course!

Ben: Everyone laughed. My aunt chased the rabbit around the garden, and the rabbit hid under a flower pot.

Emma: Did it get caught?

Ben: Yes, finally my aunt caught it and gave it a gentle hug. The rabbit seemed happy.

Emma: Pets can be very playful. My family has a dog named Max. He loves to fetch sticks.

Ben: Does Max bring the sticks back?

Emma: Sometimes. He likes to hide them under the sofa. We have to find them later.

Ben: That sounds like a game. My uncle once told us a story about his first job.

Emma: What was his job?

Ben: He worked in a bakery as a delivery driver. He delivered fresh bread every morning.

Emma: Did he like the job?

Ben: He loved the smell of fresh bread. He said the best part was seeing people smile when they bought the bread.

Emma: Smiles are the best reward. My grandma also has a story about her school days.

Ben: What did she tell you?

Emma: She said she walked to school every day, even in the rain. She carried a big umbrella and a red backpack.

Ben: Did she have any friends at school?

Emma: Yes, she had a best friend named Ana. They shared a lunch box and swapped pencils.

Ben: Simple things are often the most memorable.

Emma: True. My cousin, Sam, once won a drawing competition at the local library.

Ben: What did he draw?

Emma: He drew a picture of a mountain with a river and a small house. The judges liked the colors.

Ben: Did he get a prize?

Emma: He received a set of colored pencils and a certificate. He was very proud.

Ben: That must have motivated him to draw more.

Emma: Yes, now he draws almost every day. My aunt, who lives abroad, sends us postcards.

Ben: From which country?

Emma: She lives in Italy. She sends pictures of the countryside, old castles, and delicious pizza.

Ben: I love Italian food. Does she write in English?

Emma: Sometimes she writes a few English words, but mostly she writes in Italian. We try to understand the pictures.

Ben: That’s a good way to learn new words. My brother once tried to cook spaghetti for the whole family.

Emma: How did it turn out?

Ben: The pasta was a little overcooked, but the sauce was tasty. He added garlic, tomatoes, and basil.

Emma: Garlic and basil make a great sauce. Did anyone help him?

Ben: My mother helped with the salad. Together they made a nice dinner.

Emma: Family meals are always special. My dad told us a story about his first bike.

Ben: Did he ride it far?

Emma: He rode it around the neighborhood every day after school. He fell a few times, but he kept trying.

Ben: That shows perseverance. Did he ever win a race?

Emma: Yes, he entered a small race in the park and came second. He was very happy.

Ben: That’s a great memory. My sister loves to collect seashells when we go to the beach.

Emma: Does she have many shells?

Ben: She has a whole box filled with shells of different shapes and colors. She labels each one with the date and place.

Emma: That’s a nice hobby. She must know a lot about the sea.

Ben: She even knows the names of some shells, like “conch” and “scallop.”

Emma: Learning new words through hobbies is very effective. My cousin, Lily, once organized a surprise party for our dad.

Ben: How did she do it?

Emma: She invited all the close friends, decorated the living room with balloons, and baked a chocolate cake.

Ben: Did our dad like the surprise?

Emma: He was shocked at first, then he laughed and said, “What a wonderful family!”

Ben: That’s heart‑warming. My mother likes to tell us about her childhood garden.

Emma: What did she grow?

Ben: She grew tomatoes, carrots, and a big sunflower. She said the sunflower was as tall as a person.

Emma: Sunflowers are beautiful. Did she harvest the vegetables?

Ben: Yes, she made a fresh salad for the family. Everyone enjoyed it.

Emma: It sounds like we both have many happy family stories.

Ben: Yes, sharing them helps us practice English and remember our loved ones.

Emma: Exactly. And it shows how simple words can tell big moments.

Ben: Before we finish, let’s remind our listeners to try telling a family story in English.

Emma: Use simple sentences, talk about who, what, where, and how.

Ben: And don’t worry about mistakes. Practice makes you better.

Emma: That’s all for today’s “Sharing Family Stories” section.

Ben: Thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoyed the stories.

Emma: Join us again next time for more practice and fun.

Ben: Bye for now, and please listen again soon.