# Associations, who is telling the truth?

**URL:** <https://gramps.discourse.group/t/associations-who-is-telling-the-truth/9662>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [June 26, 2026, 10:10am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/associations-who-is-telling-the-truth/9662 "2026-06-26T10:10:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

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**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 12:42pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/associations-who-is-telling-the-truth/9662/5 "2026-06-26T12:42:06Z")

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Thanks @romjerome

Unfortunately, that hotlink preview on Discourse mangled the content a bit:

Here’s that [linked section from RootsWeb](https://gedcom.io/specifications/FamilySearchGEDCOMv7.html#ASSOCIATION_STRUCTURE):

> **ASSOCIATION\_STRUCTURE:** =
> 
> ` n ASSO @<XREF:INDI>@ {0:M}`  
> ` +1 RELA <RELATION_IS_DESCRIPTOR>` \> `{1:1}`  
> ` +1 <<NOTE_STRUCTURE>> {0:M}`  
> ` +1 <<SOURCE_CITATION>> {0:M}`
> 
> [NOTE: The ASSOCIATION\_STRUCTURE can only link to an INDIVIDUAL\_RECORD.]

Directionality is clarified in the RELATION\_IS\_DESCRIPTOR linked section:

> `RELATION_IS_DESCRIPTOR: = {Size=1:25}`  
> A word or phrase that states object 1’s relation is object 2. For example you would read the following as “Joe Jacob’s great grandson is the ~~submitter pointed to by the @`<XREF:SUBM>`@”:~~ person pointed to by the @`<XREF:INDI>`@":
> 
> ` 0 INDI`  
> ` 1 NAME Joe /Jacob/`  
> ` 1 ASSO @<XREF:SUBM>@`  
> ` 1 ASSO @<XREF:INDI>@`  
> ` 2 RELA great grandson`
> 
> [NOTE: The ASSOCIATION\_STRUCTURE can only link to an INDIVIDUAL\_RECORD.]

There is a relationship chunk in the vCard 4 `.vcf` specification. The Import plug-in could be enhanced to support that Association. (And have special parsing to build Families other of the Immediate Family pre-defined association terms. (And maybe any pre-defined Associations in Gramps.)

The cited [gedcom.io section for GEDCOM7](https://gedcom.io/specifications/FamilySearchGEDCOMv7.html#ASSOCIATION_STRUCTURE) has more exposition. (The use of the `@VOID@` `ASSO` pointer to a Person who does not exist in the tree is intriguing.)

> [@Do Importers plugins allow fallbacks?](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/do-importers-plugins-allow-fallbacks/3652/9):
>
> #### Family & Personal Relationships
> 
> - **`child`** – Offspring
> - **`parent`** – Mother, father, or legal guardian
> - **`sibling`** – Brother or sister
> - **`spouse`** – Husband, wife, or legal partner
> - **`kin`** – General relative or family member
> - **`sweetheart`** / **`crush`** / **`date`** – Romantic interests

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