Dutch Family Vocabulary

Here are Dutch words for family to start with: broer (brother), dochter (daughter), vader (father), grootvader (grandfather). Below are 40 words (A1–C2) with their English translations and part of speech, across 5 themed lists.

A mother kissing her young daughter on the cheek
Photo: StockSnap

Family Basics

A1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
brotherbroernounA1
daughterdochternounA1
fathervadernounA1
grandfathergrootvadernounA1
grandmothergrootmoedernounA1
mothermoedernounA1
sisterzusnounA1
sonzoonnounA1

Family Intermediate

A1–B1
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
aunttantenounA1
childkindnounA1
cousinneef of nichtnounA1
husbandechtgenootnounA1
parentoudernounA1
uncleoomnounA1
wifevrouwnounA1
in-lawschoonfamilienounB1

The rest of this pack is in the app

Family Advanced

A2–C2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
ancestorvooroudernounA2
generationgeneratienounA2
siblingbroer of zusnounB1
heritageerfgoednounB2
spouseechtgenootnounB2
lineageafstammingnounC1
genealogygenealogienounC2
progenynageslachtnounC2

Social Roles

B1–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
politicianpoliticusnounB1
residentbewonernounB1
volunteervrijwilligernounB1
activistactivistnounB2
bureaucratbureaucraatnounB2
civil servantambtenaarnounB2
public servantoverheidsdienaarnounB2
shareholderaandeelhoudernounB2

More from this pack waits in the app

Life Events

A1–B2
EnglishDutchTypeLevel
birthgeboortenounA1
childhoodjeugdnounA2
deathdoodnounA2
adulthoodvolwassenheidnounB1
parenthoodouderschapnounB1
divorceechtscheidingnounB2
relocationverhuizingnounB2
retirementpensioennounB2

Keep going with this pack in the app

Emoji: Twemoji, CC-BY 4.0

A sample of the A1–C2 words. The rest are in the app

Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch

These lists show a sample of the A1–C2 words for family. The packs in Watch Your Language hold more and reach the advanced levels, along with every other topic.

The app shows them to you a few at a time, in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and brings back the ones you keep forgetting.

Common questions

Which Dutch words should I learn for family?

You could start with words like broer (brother), dochter (daughter), vader (father), grootvader (grandfather). This page lists 40 Dutch words for family (A1–C2), each with its English translation and part of speech.

How can I remember these Dutch words?

Reading a list once is rarely enough. Watch Your Language shows Dutch words like these in a widget on your iPhone Lock Screen and on your Apple Watch face, and schedules repeats so the words you keep forgetting come back more often.

Are these word lists free?

Yes. The lists on this page are free to read, with no sign-up. The app holds more words for each topic.

More Dutch word lists