Family words become easier to use when you connect them to a person in a short conversation. This fictional exchange introduces a sister and a brother. You can use an invented family for every activity; the aim is to practise relationships and questions, not to share personal information.
A conversation about a picture
| Ποια είναι αυτή; | Who is she? |
| Είναι η αδελφή μου. | She is my sister. |
| Πώς τη λένε; | What is her name? |
| Τη λένε Ελένη. | Her name is Eleni. |
| Έχεις αδελφό; | Do you have a brother? |
| Ναι, έχω έναν αδελφό. Τον λένε Νίκο. | Yes, I have a brother. His name is Nikos. |
Learn the relationship with its article
Η αδελφή means “the sister” and ο αδελφός means “the brother”. Other useful expressions are η μητέρα μου, “my mother”, ο πατέρας μου, “my father”, and οι γονείς μου, “my parents”. The small word μου follows the noun here and means “my”. Learn the whole expression rather than moving μου to the position of the English word.
Ask who someone is
Ποια είναι αυτή; asks who a female person is. For a male person, use Ποιος είναι αυτός; The answers can be Είναι η αδελφή μου or Είναι ο αδελφός μου. Practise matching the question to the person without changing the relationship you intend to describe.
Ask for a name
Πώς τη λένε; asks for her name, and Πώς τον λένε; asks for his name. In the dialogue, τη refers to Eleni and τον refers to Nikos. Notice Τον λένε Νίκο: this name form differs from ο Νίκος. Copy a complete model first, then change the name carefully.
Answer the question you hear
Έχεις αδελφό; asks whether you have a brother. It does not ask for his name, although you can add it. You can answer Ναι, έχω έναν αδελφό or Όχι, δεν έχω αδελφό. For a sister, use Έχεις αδελφή; and Έχω μια αδελφή. These are informal singular questions.
Check the relationships
- Who is the woman in the fictional picture?
- What is her name?
- Which phrase asks for his name: Πώς τη λένε; or Πώς τον λένε;?
- Say “my parents” in Greek.
See the answers
1. The speaker’s sister. 2. Eleni. 3. Πώς τον λένε; 4. Οι γονείς μου. The brother in the conversation is called Nikos.
Create a small family chart
Draw three boxes for invented people and write a relationship and name in each. Describe one person with Είναι… and another with Τον λένε… or Τη λένε…. Ask a partner to point to the person you mean. Then switch roles and answer one Έχεις…; question.
Other ways to say the key phrases
- Ποια είναι αυτή; — short and direct; Ποια είναι η κυρία στη φωτογραφία; — “Who is the lady in the photo?”, more specific.
- Πώς τη λένε; / Πώς τον λένε; — everyday; Πώς λέγεται; — “What is he/she called?”, the same form for a man or a woman.
- Έχεις αδέλφια; — “Do you have brothers or sisters?” to one friend; Έχετε αδέλφια; — polite, or to several people.
- η μαμά μου, ο μπαμπάς μου — “my mum”, “my dad”, informal; η μητέρα μου, ο πατέρας μου — more neutral.
- ο παππούς, η γιαγιά, ο γιος, η κόρη — grandfather, grandmother, son, daughter.
You will also see αδερφός and αδερφή: these everyday spellings are just as correct as αδελφός and αδελφή.
Common mistakes
- Putting “my” first: not μου αδελφή but η αδελφή μου.
- Keeping the dictionary form after έχω: not Έχω ένας αδελφός but Έχω έναν αδελφό.
- Keeping the name unchanged after λένε: not Τον λένε Νίκος but Τον λένε Νίκο.
- Mixing up her and him: τη is for a woman, τον for a man, so Τον λένε Νίκο, not Τη λένε Νίκο.
FAQ
How do you say “family” in Greek? η οικογένεια. “My family” is η οικογένειά μου: the noun takes a second written accent before μου.
How do you say “brothers and sisters” in Greek? Use τα αδέλφια for siblings in general, for example Έχω δύο αδέλφια. — “I have two siblings.”
How do you ask “What is your mother’s name?” in Greek? Say Πώς λέγεται η μητέρα σου; or, more colloquially, Πώς τη λένε τη μητέρα σου; Both are natural.
Practise introducing yourself. Ask someone to repeat a name.