Lesson note
"La familia es primero": Puerto Rican families tend to stay closely connected across generations — weekly calls to grandparents, big Sunday meals, and frequent visits between relatives are common. "La familia es primero" (family comes first) is a value often heard in everyday conversation.
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📝 Key words · Palabras clave
- mom / mother
- mamá / madremah-MAH / MAH-dreh
- dad / father
- papá / padrepah-PAH / PAH-dreh
- brother
- hermanoehr-MAH-noh
- sister
- hermanaehr-MAH-nah
- grandfather
- abueloah-BWEH-loh
- grandmother
- abuelaah-BWEH-lah
- son
- hijoEE-hoh
- daughter
- hijaEE-hah
- uncle
- tíoTEE-oh
- aunt
- tíaTEE-ah
- cousin (male / female)
- primo / primaPREE-moh / PREE-mah
- baby
- bebébeh-BEH
- husband
- esposoehs-POH-soh
- wife
- esposaehs-POH-sah
- grandson / granddaughter
- nieto / nietaNYEH-toh / NYEH-tah
- nephew / niece
- sobrino / sobrinasoh-BREE-noh / soh-BREE-nah
- friend (male / female)
- amigo / amigaah-MEE-goh / ah-MEE-gah
- neighbor (male / female)
- vecino / vecinaveh-SEE-noh / veh-SEE-nah
💬 Key phrases · Frases clave
- This is my family.
- Esta mi familia.EHS-tah ehs mee fah-MEE-lyah.
- How many kids do you have?
- ¿Cuántos hijos ?¿KWAHN-tohs EE-hohs TYEH-nehs?
- I have two kids.
- Tengo dos hijos.TEHN-goh dohs EE-hohs.
- Who do you live with?
- ¿Con quién vives?¿kohn kyehn VEE-vehs?
- I live with my mom and my sister.
- Vivo con mi mamá y mi hermana.VEE-voh kohn mee mah-MAH ee mee ehr-MAH-nah.
- How's the family doing?
- ¿Qué tal la familia?¿keh tahl lah fah-MEE-lyah?
- We are three siblings.
- Somos tres hermanos.SOH-mohs trehs ehr-MAH-nohs.
- He's my older brother.
- Él es mi hermano mayor.ehl ehs mee ehr-MAH-noh mah-YOHR.
- She's my younger sister.
- Ella es mi hermana menor.EH-yah ehs mee ehr-MAH-nah meh-NOHR.
- I love my siblings very much.
- Quiero mucho a mis hermanos.KYEH-roh MOO-choh ah mees ehr-MAH-nohs.
- Family is the most important thing I have.
- La familia es lo más importante que tengo.lah fah-MEE-lyah ehs loh mahs eem-pohr-TAHN-teh keh TEHN-goh.
- Do you want to hang out this weekend?
- ¿Quieres salir este fin de semana?¿KYEH-rehs sah-LEER EHS-teh feen deh seh-MAH-nah?
- Count me in.
- Cuenta conmigo.KWEHN-tah kohn-MEE-goh.
- I miss the family a lot.
- Extraño mucho a la familia.ehks-TRAH-nyoh MOO-choh ah lah fah-MEE-lyah.
🌞 The Sunday family gathering · La reunión familiar del domingo
- On Sundays we always eat at mom's house.
- Los domingos siempre comemos en casa de mamá.lohs doh-MEEN-gohs SYEHM-preh koh-MEH-mohs ehn KAH-sah deh mah-MAH.
- What are we going to cook this time?
- ¿Qué vamos a cocinar esta vez?¿keh VAH-mohs ah koh-see-NAHR EHS-tah vehs?
- We're going to make rice with pigeon peas and roast pork.
- Vamos a hacer arroz con gandules y pernil.VAH-mohs ah ah-SEHR ah-RROHS kohn gahn-DOO-lehs ee pehr-NEEL.
- Bring something sweet if you want.
- Trae algo dulce si quieres.TRAH-eh AHL-goh DOOL-seh see KYEH-rehs.
- Everyone's almost here, set up the big table.
- Ya casi llegan todos, pon la mesa grande.yah KAH-see YEH-gahn TOH-dohs, pohn lah MEH-sah GRAHN-deh.