German course

Lesson 52 of 240

New here? This is lesson 52 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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My family in German

Priya is at Bäckerei Krause again. Renate asks if she has brothers or sisters, and Priya starts a long answer, then stops.

Anton asks the same thing, then loses the question in his Milchkaffee.

By the end, you'll ask about siblings and children, name someone as yours, and say your family does not live here.

The family word picks the form: mein Vater, but meine Mutter.

By the end of this lesson

Say who is in your family and how many.

  • Hast du Geschwister?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  • Ich bin Einzelkind.I'm an only child.
  • Sie ist meine ___.She's my ___.
  • Er ist mein ___.He's my ___.
  • Hast du Kinder?Do you have children?
  • Meine Familie wohnt nicht hier.My family doesn't live here.

Scene — the bakery counter

The bakery is quiet after the morning rush. Renate leans on the counter and looks at Priya.

Anton sits at the corner table with two chairs, a Pfannkuchen, and a Milchkaffee he has not touched.

The quiet bakery after the morning rush, with Renate at the counter and Priya nearby while Anton sits at the corner table beside his untouched Milchkaffee and Pfannkuchen.

Learn — family and siblings

Six short lines cover siblings, an only child, mein with Vater and meine with Mutter, children, and where family lives.

You'll use both mein and meine on purpose.

  1. Renate turns an open-handed question toward Priya at the bakery counter.

    Hast du Geschwister?

    Do you have any brothers or sisters?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if they have brothers or sisters.

    Learn it as one piece for siblings.

    Say it: Geschwister ends with a quiet -er.

  2. Priya pauses her polite answer and makes a small just-me gesture at her chest.

    Ich bin Einzelkind.

    I'm an only child.

    When to use it: Say this when you have no brothers or sisters.

    Learn it as one piece for no siblings.

    Say it: Einzelkind puts the stress on the first syllable.

  3. Priya holds out her phone and points to a portrait on its screen.

    Sie ist meine ___.

    She's my ___.

    When to use it: Say this for a woman in your family.

    Learn it as one piece with meine.

  4. Priya angles her phone toward Renate to show another portrait.

    Er ist mein ___.

    He's my ___.

    When to use it: Say this for a man in your family.

    Learn it as one piece with mein.

  5. Anton looks up from his untouched Milchkaffee and raises a hand toward Priya with a follow-up question.

    Hast du Kinder?

    Do you have children?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if they have children.

    Learn it as one piece for children.

  6. Priya gestures toward the bakery window as Renate watches and Anton remains seated at the corner table.

    Meine Familie wohnt nicht hier.

    My family doesn't live here.

    When to use it: Say your family lives in another place.

    Learn it as one piece for family far away.

Story — he loses the question

Watch Renate ask about siblings. Priya starts a long answer, then keeps it short.

Highlighted words are the new family lines. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The bakery is quiet. Renate looks up from the counter.
  2. RenateHast du Geschwister?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  3. Priya starts a long, polite answer, then stops.
  4. PriyaIch bin Einzelkind.I'm an only child.
  5. She holds up her phone and shows a photo.
  6. PriyaSie ist meine Mutter.She's my mother.
  7. She swipes to a second photo.
  8. PriyaEr ist mein Vater.He's my father.
  9. AntonHast du Geschwister?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  10. He looks at his Milchkaffee and loses the question.
  11. AntonHast du Kinder?Do you have children?
  12. PriyaNein.No.
  13. She puts the phone in her bag.
  14. PriyaMeine Familie wohnt nicht hier.My family doesn't live here.
  15. PriyaIch wohne allein.I live alone.

Practice — who is in your family

Eleven short tasks check the new family lines. You will hear one, fill a gap, and build a sentence.

A few older home lines sit in the mix too.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Hast du Geschwister?Drop the English here
    Ich bin Einzelkind.Drop the English here
    Hast du Kinder?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Hast du Kinder?

    Do you have children?

    And you reply with:

  4. What did you hear?

  5. What does it mean?

    Hast du Kinder?

  6. Fill the gap

    My family doesn't live here.

    Meine Familie wohnt nicht ____.

  7. Pick the reply

    Renate says:

    Hast du Geschwister?

    Do you have any brothers or sisters?

    And you reply with:

  8. What did you hear?

  9. Build the line

    I'm an only child.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  10. True or false?

    This means you live with your family.

  11. What do you say?

    You want to ask a friend where they live.

Say it — say your people

Now you're Priya at the bakery counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. RenateHast du Geschwister?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her you have no brothers or sisters.

    Ich bin Einzelkind.

    I'm an only child.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Hast du Geschwister?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Ich bin Einzelkind.I'm an only child.
Sie ist meine ___.She's my ___.
Er ist mein ___.He's my ___.
Hast du Kinder?Do you have children?
Meine Familie wohnt nicht hier.My family doesn't live here.
Next: lesson 53Wake up, sleep, and meals

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your family lines ready.

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