The Family in Portuguese



Lesson Objective:


By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to identify and describe family members in Portuguese, understand basic family vocabulary, and use possessive structures to talk about their families.



Vocabulary List:



  • Família – Family

  • Pai – Father

  • Mãe – Mother

  • Irmão – Brother

  • Irmã – Sister

  • Avô – Grandfather

  • Avó – Grandmother

  • Filho – Son

  • Filha – Daughter

  • Primo – Cousin (male)

  • Prima – Cousin (female)

  • Tio – Uncle

  • Tia – Aunt

  • Marido – Husband

  • Esposa – Wife


Grammar Point:


Possessive Adjectives in Portuguese


To talk about your family, you can use possessive adjectives. These must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.



  • Meu / Minha – My (masculine/feminine)

  • Teu / Tua – Your (informal, masculine/feminine)

  • Seu / Sua – Your, His, Her (formal or third person, masculine/feminine)


Examples:



  • Meu pai é professor. – My father is a teacher.

  • Minha irmã mora em Lisboa. – My sister lives in Lisbon.

  • Seus avós são simpáticos. – Your grandparents are nice.



Exercises:



Reading Comprehension:


Texto:


Olá, meu nome é Laura. Eu tenho uma família grande. Meu pai se chama João e minha mãe se chama Maria. Eu tenho dois irmãos, Pedro e Lucas, e uma irmã, Ana. Minha avó mora conosco. Ela é muito carinhosa.


Questions:



  • What is the name of Laura’s father?

  • How many brothers does she have?

  • Who lives with Laura?



Listening Comprehension:


Listen to a short audio describing a family tree and answer the questions: Who is the speaker’s uncle? How many cousins does the speaker have?


(Note: Your teacher will provide an audio file or play it in class)



Speaking Practice:


Practice with a partner. Ask and answer the following questions:



  • Como se chama seu pai? – What is your father’s name?

  • Você tem irmãos ou irmãs? – Do you have brothers or sisters?

  • Quantos primos você tem? – How many cousins do you have?



Summary:


This lesson focused on family vocabulary in Portuguese, including how to describe family members using possessive adjectives. You learned key vocabulary such as mãe, pai, irmão, irmã, and how to structure simple sentences about your family.



Homework:



  • Write a short paragraph (5–7 sentences) about your family in Portuguese.

  • Create a family tree labeling each member in Portuguese and their relationship to you.

  • Review the vocabulary and grammar from today's lesson.