Son-in-law – is the man who is married to your daughter or, more broadly, your child’s husband. We use this word when talking about family relationships, weddings, visits, housing, family events, and everyday responsibilities.
Pronunciation & Spoken Tips for “Son-in-law”
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
Three syllables, stressed on the first one: SON-in-law. The vowel in the word “son” should be short and open, /ʌ/, which is exactly like the vowel in such words as “sun,” “run,” and “done.” It is important not to fall into the spelling pronunciation trap.
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Countability & Plural Rules for “Son-in-law”
It is a countable compound noun, meaning you can use phrases like a “son-in-law,” “one son-in-law,” “two sons-in-law”, etc. The difficult part is the pluralization process because while adding -s to son, you must not add -s to law. See how it’s done below.
|
Form |
Correct use |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Singular |
a son-in-law |
They welcomed a new
|
|
Plural |
sons-in-law |
Both of her
|
|
Singular possessive |
son-in-law’s |
My
|
|
Plural possessive |
sons-in-law’s |
The
|
The same pattern appears in words like “brother-in-law” and “mother-in-law”. Make the main family word plural: “brothers-in-law,” “mothers-in-law,” “sons-in-law”.
Natural Collocations With “Son-in-law” in Family Talk
Kinship terms become more idiomatic once you learn the verbs and adjectives which typically accompany them. It is common for native speakers to use the phrases meet, welcome, trust, help, or get along with a son-in-law. Try out these collocations when referring to kinship relations.
Verbs You Often Use With “Son-in-law” Naturally
These verbs would be used when adults discuss issues related to their families. You will see that most of the verbs contain possessives such as my, her, or their since family words usually require ownership.
|
Verb collocation |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
have a son-in-law |
be related to one through marriage |
She
|
|
meet your son-in-law |
see him for the first time |
I
|
|
welcome a son-in-law |
accept him into the family |
They
|
|
get along with your son-in-law |
have a good relationship with him |
He
|
|
invite your son-in-law |
ask him to attend something |
We
|
Adjectives That Describe a “Son-in-law” Clearly
For instance, when describing your “son-in-law”, select adjectives that apply to the relation rather than the person. The following are some of the expressions that are used in everyday language.
|
Adjective phrase |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
future son-in-law |
a man who will marry your daughter |
Her
|
|
new son-in-law |
recently joined the family by marriage |
Their
|
|
supportive son-in-law |
helpful and caring |
She feels lucky to have such a
|
|
reliable son-in-law |
someone the family can depend on |
My
|
Common Mistakes With “Son-in-law” Grammar To Avoid
Son-in-law errors usually stem from issues with spelling, plurals, genders, and possession. Correcting these minor things will make your English writing much better in your emails, texts, and even personal narratives. Learn the corrections and attempt to write your own sentence.
|
Why? |
||
|---|---|---|
|
My son in law lives nearby.
|
My son-in-law lives nearby.
|
Use hyphens in the compound noun. |
|
She has two son-in-laws.
|
She has two sons-in-law.
|
The plural goes on son, not law. |
|
My son’s-in-law car is outside.
|
My son-in-law’s car is outside.
|
Put the possessive at the end of the full compound noun. |
|
He became my son-in-law with my daughter.
|
He became my son-in-law when he married my daughter.
|
Use when he married to explain the relationship clearly. |
“Son-in-law” in Spanish, French, and German
Translations will help you link this English word with the corresponding family terms in your native language. Watch out – family terms do not necessarily translate literally, particularly in gendered languages. These are the best translations.
| Language | Word for “Son-in-law” |
|---|---|
Spanish
|
Yerno |
French
|
Gendre |
German
|
Schwiegersohn |
