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.
How is your family?
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.
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.
Polite way to say 'your mother'. The honorific お is used. This is the standard term when speaking to someone about their mother.
Your mother is good at cooking, isn't she?
Polite way to say 'your father'.
Polite way to say 'your child/children'.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Humble way to say 'my father'.
Humble way to say 'my wife'. Use this instead of 奥さん when referring to your own wife.
Humble way to say 'my husband'.
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.
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.
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.
Incorrect: My mother (using polite form) is a teacher.
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.
How is Keiko (your mother)?
How many people are in your family?
What kind of work does your father do?
お子さんは何歳ですか。
How old is your child?
奥さんによろしくお伝えください。
Please give my regards to your wife.
My mother is a nurse.
My father is an office worker.
My wife is out shopping now.
My husband is good at cooking.
I heard your family is all into sports?