Hindi/Family Relations
Family relation names in Hindi are very specific to the speaker. For example, your father's brother and your mother's brother are not both just "uncle"; you would differentiate and address them using specific terms to indicate the precise relationship. These terms can vary a bit from place to place. The following are some standard examples.
Often the honorific suffix "-जी" is added to names to denote respect. It is very common to use when referring to or especially addressing an older relative, and sometimes for others depending on customs or the situation.
Parents[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Father | बाप (bap), पिता (pita), पापा (papa), बाबा (baba), अप्पा (appa), अब्बू (abbu) |
| Mother | माँ (ma), माता (mata), मम्मा (mamma), अम्मा (amma), मम्मी (mammi), अम्मी (ammi) |
Grandparents[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Father's father (paternal grandfather) | दादा (dada), बाबा (baba) |
| Father's mother (paternal grandmother) | दादी (dadi) |
| Mother's father (maternal grandfather) | नाना (nana) |
| Mother's mother (maternal grandmother) | नानी (nani) |
Great-grandparents[edit | edit source]
In Hindi, the prefix "great-" is given by the prefix "पर-".
There is some ambiguity when talking about great-grandparents because, for example, the term "परदादा" (pardada) can refer to either your father's father's father or your father's mother's father.[1] Therefore, if there is a need to be more specific, spell out the exact family relation in full; e.g. "बाप के बाप के बाप" (bap ke bap ke bap), or "बाप की माँ के बाप" (bap ki ma ke bap).
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Paternal great-grandfather
(Father's parent's father) |
परदादा (pardada) |
| Paternal great-grandmother
(Father's parent's mother) |
परदादी (pardadi) |
| Maternal great-grandfather
(Mother's parent's father) |
परनाना (parnana) |
| Maternal great-grandmother
(Mother's parent's mother) |
परनानी (parnani) |
Siblings & Siblings-in-law[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Older brother | बड़ा भाई (bada bhai), भैया (bhaiya) |
| Younger brother | छोटा भाई (chhota bhai) |
| Older sister | बड़ी बहन (badi bahan), दीदी (didi), जीजी (jiji) |
| Younger sister | छोटी बहन (chhoti bahan) |
| Brother's* wife (sister-in-law) | भाभी (bhabhi), भौजी (bhauji), भौजाई (bhaujai) |
| Older sister's husband (brother-in-law) | जीजा (jija) |
| Younger sister's husband (brother-in-law) | बहनोई (bahanoi) |
| Husband's older brother (brother-in-law) | जेठ (jeth) |
| Husband's older brother's wife (co-sister-in-law) | जेठानी (jethani) |
| Husband's younger brother (brother-in-law) | देवर (devar) |
| Husband's younger brother's wife (co-sister-in-law) | देवरानी (devarani) |
| Husband's sister* (sister-in-law) | ननद (nanad) |
| Husband's sister's* husband (co-brother-in-law) | नन्दोई (nandoi) |
| Wife's brother* (brother-in-law) | साला** (sala), पत्नी का भाई (patni ka bhai) |
| Wife's brother's* wife (co-sister-in-law) | सलहज (salhaj) |
| Wife's sister* (sister-in-law) | साली** (sali), पत्नी की बहन (patni ki bahan) |
| Wife's sister's* husband (co-brother-in-law) | साढ़ू (sarhu) |
| Child's spouse's father (co-father-in-law) | समधी (samdhi) |
| Child's spouse's mother (co-mother-in-law) | समधिन (samdhin) |
**These two words ("साला" (sala) & "साली" (sali)) are also commonly used as pejoratives, so be careful when using them.
Cousins[edit | edit source]
There is no direct word for "cousin" in Hindi. If there is a need to be specific when referring to a cousin, then phrases like "uncle's son" or "aunt's daughter" are used. However, in general, they are simply referred to as "brother/sister" ("भाई/बहन").
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Father's older brother's son | (ताएरा) भाई (taera) bhai |
| Father's older brother's daughter | (ताएरी) बहन (taeri) bahan |
| Father's younger brother's son | (चचेरा) भाई (chachera) bhai |
| Father's younger brother's daughter | (चचेरी) बहन (chacheri) bahan |
| Father's sister's* son | (फुफेरा) भाई (phuphera) bhai |
| Father's sister's* daughter | (फुफेरी) बहन (phupheri) bahan |
| Mother's brother's* son | (ममेरा) भाई (mamera) bhai |
| Mother's brother's* daughter | (ममेरी) बहन (mameri) bahan |
| Mother's sister's* son | (मौसेरा) भाई (mausera) bhai |
| Mother's sister's* daughter | (मौसेरी) बहन (mauseri) bahan |
Children & Children-in-law[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Son | बेटा (beta), पुत्र (putr) |
| Daughter | बेटी (beti), पुत्री (putri), जाई (jai) |
| Son's wife (daughter-in-law) | बहू (bahu) |
| Daughter's husband (son-in-law) | दामाद (damad), जमाई (jamai) |
| Brother's son (nephew) | भतीजा (bhatija) |
| Brother's daughter (niece) | भतीजी (bhatiji) |
| Sister's son (nephew) | भांजा (bhanja) |
| Sister's daughter (niece) | भांजी (bhanji) |
Grandchildren[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Son's son (grandson) | पोता (pota) |
| Son's daughter (granddaughter) | पोती (poti) |
| Daughter's son (grandson) | नाती (nati), नवासा (navasa), दोहता (dohata) |
| Daughter's daughter (granddaughter) | नातिन (natin), नवासी (navasi), दोहती (dohati) |
Spouses & Parents-in-law[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Husband | पति (pati) |
| Wife | पत्नी (patni), बीवी (bivi) |
| Spouse's father (father-in-law) | ससुर (sasur) |
| Spouse's mother (mother-in-law) | सास (sas) |
| Fiancé(e) | मँगेतर (mangetar) |
Aunts & Uncles[edit | edit source]
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Father's older brother (uncle) | ताया (taya), ताऊ (tau), बड़े पापा (bade papa) |
| Father's older brother's wife (aunt) | ताई (tai) |
| Father's younger brother (uncle) | चाचा (chacha), काका (kaka), छोटे पापा (chhote papa) |
| Father's younger brother's wife (aunt) | चाची (chachi), काकी (kaki), छोटी मम्मी (chhoti mammi) |
| Father's sister* (aunt) | बुआ (bua), फूफी (phuphi) |
| Father's sister's* husband (uncle) | फूफा (phupha) |
| Mother's brother* (uncle) | मामा (mama), मामू (mamu) |
| Mother's brother's* wife (aunt) | मामी (mami) |
| Mother's sister* (aunt) | मौसी (mausi) |
| Mother's sister's* husband (uncle) | मौसा (mausa) |
Stepfamily[edit | edit source]
In Hindi, the prefix "step-" (or "half-") is given by the adjective "सौतेला".
| Relation in English | Relation in Hindi |
|---|---|
| Stepfather | सौतेले बाप (sautele bap) |
| Stepmother | सौतेली माँ (sauteli ma) |
| Stepbrother | सौतेला भाई (sautela bhai) |
| Stepsister | सौतेली बहन (sauteli bahan) |
Notes[edit | edit source]
*If a particular sibling's name is followed by an asterisk, then it does not matter whether they are older or younger; the Hindi term remains the same.
References[edit | edit source]
Further Reading[edit | edit source]
- McGregor, R.S, The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press. 1993
- Snell, Rupert, Teach yourself Hindi: A complete guide for beginners. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Publishing Group, 1992. ISBN 0-8442-3863-5