Is 'family' a countable or uncountable noun?

It is primarily countable (e.g., 'many families'), but can be uncountable when referring to the abstract concept (e.g., 'the importance of family').

Should I use a singular or plural verb with 'family'?

It depends on dialect and emphasis. In American English, treat it as singular ('The family is...'). In British English, both are possible: singular for the unit ('The family is large'), plural for the members ('The family are all doctors').

What is the difference between 'immediate family' and 'extended family'?

'Immediate family' typically includes parents, siblings, spouse, and children. 'Extended family' includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

Can 'family' be used as an adjective?

Yes, commonly (e.g., family car, family business, family holiday). It functions as a noun modifier.

famille

UK/ˈfæm.əl.i/US/ˈfæm.əl.i/

Neutral

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, typically living together.

A broader category including all descendants of a common ancestor; a group of related things or people; a category in scientific classification; a group of languages descended from a common ancestor.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The word can denote biological relations, legal relations (adoption, marriage), or metaphorical relations (e.g., 'the family of Romance languages'). It is also used as a countable noun for a household unit (e.g., 'a family of four') and as an uncountable noun for the abstract concept (e.g., 'the importance of family').

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in core meaning. The phrase 'the family is' (treating it as a singular unit) is slightly more common in formal British English, while 'the family are' (treating it as plural members) is also acceptable in British English. American English strongly prefers 'the family is'.

Connotations

Equally common and central in both cultures.

Frequency

Extremely high frequency in both varieties.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

close-knit familyimmediate familyextended familyfamily historyfamily businessfamily doctorfamily name

medium

support your familyfamily gatheringfamily heirloomfamily backgroundfamily resemblance

weak

family crisisfamily petfamily dinnerfamily feudfamily atmosphere

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[Verb] + family: start a family, raise a family, support a family[Adjective] + family: nuclear family, single-parent family, royal family

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

kinsfolkkinfolkkith and kin

Neutral

relativeskinhouseholdclan

Weak

peoplefolkstribe

Vocabulary

Antonyms

strangeroutsidernon-relativeenemy

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“run in the family”
“family ties”
“like one of the family”
“a family affair”
“the black sheep of the family”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Refers to a company owned and controlled by members of one or a few families (e.g., 'a family-run business').

Academic

Used in disciplines like sociology (family structures), biology (taxonomic family), and linguistics (language family).

Everyday

The most common usage, referring to one's relatives and household.

Technical

In taxonomy, a rank below order and above genus (e.g., 'Felidae, the cat family').

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

It's not common as a verb.

American English

It's not common as a verb.

adverb

British English

It's not common as an adverb.

American English

It's not common as an adverb.

adjective

British English

We're having a family dinner on Sunday.
It's a family-sized packet of crisps.
He's our family solicitor.

American English

We're having a family dinner on Sunday.
It's a family-size bag of chips.
He's our family lawyer.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I love my family.
This is a photo of my family.
She has a big family.
My family lives in London.

Our family is going on holiday to Spain this summer.
He comes from a very musical family.
The wedding was for family and close friends only.
It's important to spend time with your family.

His immediate family approved of the decision, but his extended family did not.
The royal family attended the state ceremony.
There's a strong history of heart disease in her family.
They decided to start a family after buying their first house.

The family is often regarded as the fundamental unit of society.
Felidae, the biological family that includes lions and domestic cats, is part of the order Carnivora.
The Indo-European language family encompasses languages from English to Hindi.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'FAMILY' as 'Father And Mother, I Love You' (taking the first letters).

Conceptual Metaphor

FAMILY IS A UNIT (e.g., 'the family that eats together stays together'), FAMILY IS A TREE (e.g., 'family tree', 'branches of the family').

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with 'фамилия', which means 'surname' or 'last name'. Russian 'семья' maps directly to 'family'.
The adjective 'family' as in 'family car' (автомобиль для семьи) is used differently from Russian's adjectival forms.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect plural: 'families' (correct), not 'family'.
Incorrect: 'My family is nice people.' Correct: 'My family are nice people.' (UK) / 'My family is a nice group of people.' (US)
Spelling error: 'famaly' or 'familiy'.
Using 'house' or 'home' interchangeably with 'family' (a family is people, a house is a building).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

After the argument, it took years for the to heal.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a correct usage of 'family'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: It is primarily countable (e.g., 'many families'), but can be uncountable when referring to the abstract concept (e.g., 'the importance of family').
: It depends on dialect and emphasis. In American English, treat it as singular ('The family is...'). In British English, both are possible: singular for the unit ('The family is large'), plural for the members ('The family are all doctors').
: 'Immediate family' typically includes parents, siblings, spouse, and children. 'Extended family' includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
: Yes, commonly (e.g., family car, family business, family holiday). It functions as a noun modifier.