Verwandte
/fɛɐ̯ˈvantə/
The German word for relatives is Verwandte.
Verwandte refers to people who are connected to you by blood or marriage.
Which one should you use?
While Verwandte refers to relatives in general, the term Angehörige is often used in more formal or legal contexts to refer to family members or persons belonging to a specific group.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a specific person, the singular masculine form is der Verwandte and the singular feminine form is die Verwandte. For the plural, the definite form is die Verwandten, which differs from the default form Verwandte used for the indefinite plural (such as when saying "some relatives").
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛɐ̯ˈvantə/
Did you know?
- While Verwandte covers blood and marriage, Germans often use the term Schwägerschaft specifically to describe the network of relatives created through the marriage of siblings.
- The term Verwandte can be used to describe things that are 'related' in a scientific or logical sense, such as 'related species' (verwandte Arten), moving far beyond human connections.
- The word Verwandte is a nominalized adjective, meaning it behaves grammatically like an adjective rather than a standard noun. This is why its ending changes based on the article used, such as ein Verwandter versus der Verwandte.
Examples in context
- Tom hat Verwandte in Boston.Tom has relatives in Boston.This sentence is useful for stating that Tom has relatives in Boston.Tatoeba #10093684 by wolfgangth, translation #3023747 by CK
- Ich habe Verwandte in Boston.I have relatives in Boston.This sentence is useful for stating that I have relatives in Boston.Tatoeba #2781694 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2360227 by CK
- Hast du Verwandte im Ausland?Do you have relatives abroad?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has relatives abroad.Tatoeba #9469179 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9469253 by sundown
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are talking about a family reunion.
- MaximilianKommen viele Verwandte zu deiner Party?Are many relatives coming to your party?
- LauraJa, meine Verwandten kommen aus ganz Deutschland.Yes, my relatives are coming from all over Germany.
- MaximilianDas ist toll, Laura.That is great, Laura.
- LauraIch freue mich auf sie.I am looking forward to seeing them.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Verwandte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
