# Family and Relationships
### 1. Family members

- **Nuclear family:** parents and children.
- **Extended family:** grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.
- **Step-family:** step-mother, step-father, step-brother, half-sister.
- **In-laws:** mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law.

### 2. Vocabulary

- Parents – mother, father, mum/dad, mummy/daddy.
- Siblings – brother, sister, twin, older / younger sibling, only child.
- Children – son, daughter, baby, toddler, teenager, adult.
- Grandparents – grandmother / grandfather (granny, grandpa).
- Other – nephew, niece, godparent, distant relative.

### 3. Types of families

- **Traditional / nuclear family:** mother, father, children.
- **Single-parent family:** one parent only.
- **Patchwork / blended family:** after divorce, with step-parents and step-siblings.
- **Adoptive / foster family.**
- **Same-sex parents.**
- **Childless couples / DINK** (double income, no kids).

### 4. My own family

- *I live with my parents and my brother / sister in a flat / house in… .*
- *My mum works as a … and my dad works as a … .*
- *I have a younger / older brother / sister who…*
- *My grandparents live in a village near Liberec.*
- *I’m an only child.*

### 5. Daily life

- Who does what at home – **cooking, cleaning, shopping, doing laundry, taking out rubbish, looking after pets**.
- **Family meals together** – Sunday lunch in CZ.
- **Family meetings** at Christmas, Easter, birthdays.
- Weekends – cottage (chata), trips, sport.

### 6. Relationships within the family

- *I get on really well with my mum / dad / sister…*
- *We sometimes argue / have rows about… (mess, screen time, school results).*
- *My parents are quite strict / liberal / supportive.*
- *I can talk to them about anything / about most things.*

### 7. How families have changed

- Smaller families – often **one child or no children**.
- Both parents **work full-time**.
- More **divorces** and patchwork families.
- Children become independent later (live with parents longer).
- Parents act more as **friends** than authorities.
- More **fathers** are involved in childcare.

### 8. Friendship

- Close friend / best friend / mate (BrE) / buddy (AmE) / acquaintance / classmate.
- Where you meet friends: school, sport club, hobbies, online.
- Qualities of a good friend: **loyal, trustworthy, honest, supportive, fun, understanding**.
- *I’ve known my best friend since primary school.*

### 9. Romantic relationships

- **Stages:** crush → dating → boyfriend/girlfriend → engaged → married.
- **Wedding:** ceremony, vows, rings, reception, honeymoon.
- **Married life:** moving in together, having children, divorce as a possibility.
- Many young people prefer **cohabitation** without marriage.

### 10. Generational differences

- **Older generation:** focus on family stability, traditions, religion, security.
- **Younger generation:** focus on individual freedom, career, travel, mental health, gender equality.
- **Conflict topics:** politics, technology, ways of raising children.

### 11. Useful phrases

- *I come from a big / small / close / loving family.*
- *I take after my mother / father (in terms of looks / personality).*
- *I look up to my older brother.*
- *We always celebrate… together.*
- *We are very close / We don’t see each other very often.*

### 12. Speaking strategy

Start with your own family (3–4 sentences). Cover daily routine and chores. Move on to types of modern families and how they’ve changed. Mention friends and one specific best friend. Finish with your ideal future family (kids? marriage? career first?).