How to Say ‘What's new in the family?’ in German
Was gibt es denn Neues in der Familie?
vahs gibt ess den NOY-ess in dare fah-MEE-lee-uh
[vahs gibt ess den NOY-ess in dare fah-MEE-lee-uh]
💬 Usage Tip: [denn] here doesn't mean 'then'; it softens the question and makes it sound more conversational. You'll hear it a lot in friendly questions like [Wie war denn die Reise?]
🇩🇪 In Germany: This is a natural family-small-talk question, but it invites real updates, not just one-word answers. In Germany, asking about family is normal once the relationship is established, but with new in-laws it can feel too personal if you ask too soon.
Phrase Breakdown
Was gibt es denn Neues
vahs gibt ess den NOY-ess
What’s new then?
A common way to ask for news or updates.
Was gibt es denn Neues bei dir?
What’s new with you?
Words in this phrase
Was
[vahs]
what
Question word used to ask about information or events.
Was gibt es heute zum Abendessen?
What is there for dinner today?
gibt
[gibt]
gives, is there
In the phrase 'es gibt', it means 'there is/there are'.
Gibt es etwas Neues bei euch?
Is there anything new with you all?
es
[ess]
it, there
Part of the fixed expression 'es gibt' meaning 'there is/there are'.
Es gibt heute viele Gesprächsthemen.
There are many topics of conversation today.
denn
[den]
then, anyway
Adds a conversational tone, often showing interest or prompting a reply.
Wie geht es denn deinen Eltern?
So how are your parents doing?
Neues
[NOY-ess]
new things, news
Means news or new developments.
Neues aus der Familie interessiert alle.
News from the family interests everyone.
In der Familie
in dare fah-MEE-lee-uh
in the family
Refers to family matters or family life.
In der Familie gibt es viele Neuigkeiten.
There is a lot of news in the family.
Words in this phrase
in
[in]
in
A preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'.
In der Nachbarschaft kennt jeder jeden.
In the neighborhood, everyone knows everyone.
der
[dare]
the
Dative feminine article used with 'Familie'.
In der Familie gibt es oft viel zu erzählen.
In the family there is often a lot to tell.
Familie
[fah-MEE-lee-uh]
family
A group of related people; often a central topic in everyday conversation.
Die Familie plant ein großes Fest.
The family is planning a big celebration.
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