Translation guide
In Japanese, referring to someone else's family requires polite forms, while referring to your own family uses humble forms. The word 'your' is often omitted when context is clear, and the appropriate term depends on the relationship and formality.
The speaker wants to ask about or refer to the listener's family as a whole, in a polite and natural way.
The standard polite way to say 'your family'. The honorific prefix ご makes it respectful. Use this in most situations when talking to someone about their family.
ご家族はお元気ですか。
How is your family?
ご家族と一緒に住んでいますか。
Do you live with your family?
Used without the honorific prefix when the context is already polite or when speaking casually. Still refers to the listener's family, but slightly less formal than ご家族.
In Japanese, 'your' is often omitted when it's clear from context that you're talking about the listener's family. Simply using 家族 can be enough.
家族はどこにいますか。
Where is your family?
The speaker wants to ask about or refer to a specific member of the listener's family, such as mother, father, etc., using polite language.
The speaker wants to talk about their own family to someone else, using humble language to show respect to the listener.
When talking about your own family, you use the plain word 家族 without honorifics. This is the neutral/humble way.
The speaker is talking to a close friend and wants to ask about their family in a casual, friendly way.
In casual conversation, simply 家族 is fine. You can add んとこ (informal for のところ) for a very colloquial feel.
When talking about your own family to others, never use honorific forms like お母さん or ご主人. Always use humble forms like 母 or 夫. Conversely, when referring to someone else's family, always use the polite forms.
× 私のお母さんは先生です。
Incorrect: My mother (using polite form) is a teacher.
家族は何人ですか。
How many people are in your family?
Polite way to say 'your mother'. The honorific お is used. This is the standard term when speaking to someone about their mother.
お母さんは料理が上手ですね。
Your mother is good at cooking, isn't she?
Polite way to say 'your father'.
お父さんはどんな仕事をしていますか。
What kind of work does your father do?
Polite way to say 'your child/children'.
お子さんは何歳ですか。
How old is your child?
Polite way to say 'your husband'. Note: 主人 means 'master/husband' and is used with the honorific ご to refer to someone else's husband.
ご主人は今日いらっしゃいますか。
Is your husband here today?
Polite way to say 'your wife'. Literally means 'wife', but used with the honorific implication when referring to someone else's wife.
奥さんによろしくお伝えください。
Please give my regards to your wife.
私の家族は東京に住んでいます。
My family lives in Tokyo.
Humble way to say 'my mother'. Never use お母さん for your own mother when speaking to outsiders.
母は看護師です。
My mother is a nurse.
Humble way to say 'my father'.
父は会社員です。
My father is an office worker.
Humble way to say 'my wife'. Use this instead of 奥さん when referring to your own wife.
妻は今、買い物に行っています。
My wife is out shopping now.
Humble way to say 'my husband'.
夫は料理が得意です。
My husband is good at cooking.
Can mean 'your family/household' in casual speech, but be careful as it can also mean 'your house' or even 'you' (as slang). Context dependent.
お宅 can also be a slang term for 'otaku' (geek), so use with care.
お宅はみんなスポーツ好きなんだって？
I heard your family is all into sports?
Correct: My mother is a teacher.
In Japanese, it's common to use the person's name + a title (like さん) instead of 'your'. For example, if you know the listener's mother's name is Keiko, you can say 恵子さん instead of お母さん. This sounds friendly and personal.
恵子さんはお元気ですか。
How is Keiko (your mother)?