German for Beginners: Talk About Your Family with Possessive Adjectives
Learn to say 'I have two sisters' and 'My parents live abroad' in German. Use possessive adjectives like mein, dein, and ihre to describe family relationships.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your family members in German. You will use possessive adjectives like mein (my) and dein (your) to say who belongs to whom. This is different from introducing yourself because you focus on relationships, not personal details like your name or age. By the end, you will be able to say sentences like 'I have two sisters' and 'My parents live abroad.'
By the end, you can…
- name common family members in German.
- use possessive adjectives (mein, dein, sein, ihr) correctly.
- say how many siblings I have.
- say where my parents live.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich habe zwei Schwestern.
I have two sisters.
ikh HAH-buh tsvai SHVES-tern
Use this to state the number and gender of your sisters. 'Schwestern' is plural.
Meine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.
My parents live abroad.
MAI-nuh EL-tern VOH-nen im OWS-lahnt
Use this to say your parents live in another country. 'Eltern' is always plural.
Ich habe einen Bruder.
I have one brother.
ikh HAH-buh AI-nen BROO-der
Use this for one brother. 'einen' is the accusative form of 'ein' for masculine nouns.
Mein Vater arbeitet in Berlin.
My father works in Berlin.
main FAH-ter AR-bai-tet in ber-LEEN
Use this to say where your father works. 'Mein' is used for masculine nouns.
Meine Mutter ist Lehrerin.
My mother is a teacher.
MAI-nuh MOO-ter ist LAY-re-rin
Use this to say your mother's profession. 'Meine' is used for feminine nouns.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Possessive adjectives in German change based on the gender and number of the noun they describe. For masculine and neuter nouns, use 'mein' (e.g., mein Vater, mein Kind). For feminine and plural nouns, add an -e: 'meine' (e.g., meine Mutter, meine Eltern). The verb 'haben' (to have) is used to say how many siblings you have: 'Ich habe einen Bruder' (I have one brother) or 'Ich habe zwei Schwestern' (I have two sisters). Note that 'einen' is used for masculine nouns in the accusative case.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you want to talk about your family members and their relationships to you. For example, when someone asks 'Hast du Geschwister?' (Do you have siblings?), you can answer 'Ja, ich habe eine Schwester' (Yes, I have one sister). When talking about where your family lives, use 'wohnen' (to live) with the appropriate possessive adjective: 'Meine Eltern wohnen in Deutschland' (My parents live in Germany). Remember that 'Eltern' is plural, so you use 'meine'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hast du Geschwister?
Do you have siblings?hast doo guh-SHVIS-terJa, ich habe zwei Schwestern.
Yes, I have two sisters.yah, ikh HAH-buh tsvai SHVES-ternUnd wo wohnen deine Eltern?
And where do your parents live?unt voh VOH-nen DAI-nuh EL-ternMeine Eltern wohnen im Ausland.
My parents live abroad.MAI-nuh EL-tern VOH-nen im OWS-lahntA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, it's common to ask about siblings and family in casual conversation, but personal details like income or exact addresses are considered private. Use 'du' with friends and family, and 'Sie' with strangers or in formal contexts. When talking about family, using possessive adjectives is essential to show relationships.
One thing to watch for
Using 'mein' for all nouns, e.g., 'mein Mutter' instead of 'meine Mutter'.
Try this instead: Possessive adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun. For feminine nouns like 'Mutter', use 'meine': 'meine Mutter'. For plural nouns like 'Eltern', also use 'meine': 'meine Eltern'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I have one brother' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ich habe einen Bruder.
'einen' is used because 'Bruder' is masculine and in the accusative case. 'Ich habe ein Bruder' would be incorrect.
2Translate: 'My parents live in Vienna.'
Show a sample answer
Meine Eltern wohnen in Wien.
'Eltern' is plural, so use 'meine'. 'Wohnen' means 'to live'. 'In Wien' means 'in Vienna'.
3Fill in the blank: '___ Schwester ist Lehrerin.' (My sister is a teacher.)
Show a sample answer
Meine
'Schwester' is feminine, so the possessive adjective must be 'meine'. 'Mein' would be wrong.
Remember: use 'mein' for masculine/neuter nouns and 'meine' for feminine/plural nouns. Practice with family words like Vater, Mutter, Bruder, Schwester, and Eltern.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s German into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr