English for Families

Phrases for Families

In today’s podcast, I’ll be answering a listener question and looking at phrases related to family. If you would like to leave a question for the podcast, click here and scroll to the bottom.

Transcript with Expressions

Have you ever researched your family tree? This is the history of your family and all your ancestors – it makes the shape of a tree with different branches representing each person in the family.

I was able to trace my family back 500 years! It seems that farming runs in the family.

To run in the family – To share the same quality or skill

People who met my brother and I when we were growing up said we were the spitting image of each other.

Spitting image – Exactly identical in appearance

I’ve always thought I was the black sheep in the family. My hobbies, taste in music and personality are all quite different from the rest of my family.

Black sheep – The member of the family who is different the the rest

However, I do take after my father in many ways. We both love nature and hiking outdoors. 

To take after someone – When one person copies characteristics form someone else

Despite all the differences that there can be between parents and children, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree – The child is similar to the parents

In many (or perhaps most) relationships, it’s common for someone to be dominant and make most of the important decisions. If this is you, then you wear the trousers in your relationship.

To wear the trousers – To be the dominant one in the marriage or relationship

Despite all the issues that family members can bring, many believe that blood is thicker than water.

Blood is thicker than water – Family relationships are stronger than those outside of the family

Do you agree that blood is thicker than water? Or do you think friends can be just as strong, if not stronger, than family? 

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3 thoughts on “#39 English Phrases for Families”

  1. Yes, it’s true that Asian appreciate the family and live with them. I’m from Asia specifically from Saudi Arabia, and we live with our parents until we get married regardless of the gender. After get married we could come back every week to visit them and we really careful with our tone with our parents because they struggle a lot in order to raise us, so they deserve the best.

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