father in law definition

Father-in-law – the father of your husband or wife. Within English-speaking societies, this compound noun is widely used in both formal and informal settings when introducing the person and referring to the parental connection established via marriage.

Part of speech:
Noun (plural)
Phonetic transcription (IPA):
/ˈfɑː.ðɚ.ɪn.lɑː/
CEFR level:
B1
Word frequency:

Pronunciation Guide for “Father-in-law” in English

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Pay attention to the stress on the first part: FA-ther-in-law. Say the three parts smoothly, but keep the spelling hyphens when you write it. The difficulty lies in the articulation of the letter combination th in “father,” since it calls for a delicate release of breath and minimal tongue pressure on the front teeth, unlike the letters t and d.

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Grammar Rules and Forms of “Father-in-law”

The noun “father-in-law” has its own grammar rules since it is a compound noun comprising more than one word. The difference between the singular and plural forms is that while regular nouns pluralize the entire word.

Form 

Example 

Singular 
  My father-in-law lives in Boston.

Plural 
  Our fathers-in-law are both retired.

Singular Possessive 
  My father-in-law’s advice was very helpful.

Plural Possessive 
  Their fathers-in-law’s families attended the event.

Common Patterns in Sentences

Structure 

Example 

subject + father-in-law + verb 
  My father-in-law enjoys gardening.

possessive + father-in-law 
  Her father-in-law owns a small restaurant.

plural form in context 
  Their fathers-in-law met for the first time at the wedding.
father in law in a sentence
Tip: 

With family compound nouns such as “father-in-law,” the pluralization comes at the end of the primary family noun (fathers) and not at the end of the second noun within the phrase.

Sentence Structure with “Father-in-law” in English 

You can refer to these examples when you talk about family. They sound natural in daily English.

Structure 

Example 

Meaning 

my/your/her + father-in-law 
  Her father-in-law lives in London.

The father of her husband or wife 

father-in-law of + person 
  He is the father-in-law of Maria.

More formal relationship wording 

get on with + father-in-law 
  I get on well with my father-in-law.

Have a good relationship 

visit + father-in-law 
  We visited my father-in-law yesterday and ate pizza.

Go to see him 

ask + father-in-law for advice 
  I asked my father-in-law for advice.

Request help or opinion 
Tip: 

Avoid saying the father of my wife every time. In normal conversation, my “father-in-law” is shorter and more natural. 

Father-in-law Translations: Spanish, French, German

Use this table for quick translation practice. Check the French note carefully, because context matters.

Language Word for “Father-in-law”
Flag Spanish Spanish   Suegro
Flag French French   Beau-père
Flag German German   Schwiegervater
Quick note: 

In French, “beau-père” can also mean stepfather, so you need to rely heavily on the context when you hear or want to use this word.