Kin in pairs: sogre/sogra, gendre/nora — and "els meus"
Kin in Catalan walks in pairs by gender: el sogre and la sogra — father-in-law and mother-in-law, el gendre and la nora — son-in-law and daughter-in-law, el nebot and la neboda — nephew and niece. The husband's mother and the wife's are one la sogra: the fathers too share one el sogre. Gender distinguishes kinship better than English — the ending of the word changes with the person. For example: “Els meus viuen a…
How it works
Kin in Catalan walks in pairs by gender: el sogre and la sogra — father-in-law and mother-in-law, el gendre and la nora — son-in-law and daughter-in-law, el nebot and la neboda — nephew and niece. The husband's mother and the wife's are one la sogra: the fathers too share one el sogre. Gender distinguishes kinship better than English — the ending of the word changes with the person.
One's own kin is called with the plural possessive: els meus — "my ones", that is, my folks or parents: "Vindran els meus?" — will mine come? Pairs to it: "els teus" — yours, "els seus" — his/hers. Age and seniority are added by adjectives: "el germà gran" — the older brother, "la germana petita" — the little sister, "el fill únic" — the only child.
Table
| expression | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| els meus | my folks, my parents | Vindran els meus? |
| sogre / sogra | father-in-law / mother-in-law | la sogra del meu marit |
| germà gran / germana petita | older brother / little sister | la germana petita de la Marta |
By example
- Els meus viuen a prop: els veig cada setmanaMy folks live close: I see them every week
- La meva sogra fa el millor arròs del mónMy mother-in-law cooks the best rice in the world
- El meu germà gran m'ensenya a conduirMy older brother is teaching me to drive
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Kin in pairs: how does it work in Catalan?
Kin in Catalan walks in pairs by gender: el sogre and la sogra — father-in-law and mother-in-law, el gendre and la nora — son-in-law and daughter-in-law, el nebot and la neboda — nephew and niece. The husband's mother and the wife's are one la sogra: the fathers too share one el sogre. Gender…
What does it look like in an example sentence Catalan?
“Els meus viuen a prop: els veig cada setmana” — My folks live close: I see them every week. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.