Hindi Kinship Terms: A Family Relationship Guide
Hindi, like most Indian languages, has a precise word for nearly every relative — far more specific than English. The terms encode which side of the family a person is on and, often, their seniority. Here's a friendly guide to the most common Hindi kinship terms.
- Father: pita / papa; Mother: mata / maa
- Father's father: dada; Father's mother: dadi
- Mother's father: nana; Mother's mother: nani
Notice that the paternal and maternal grandparents have entirely different words — the side of the family is built into the term, a pattern that runs through the whole system.
Father's siblings
- Father's elder brother: tau (his wife: tai)
- Father's younger brother: chacha (his wife: chachi)
- Father's sister: bua / phuphi (her husband: phupha)
Hindi distinguishes the father's elder from younger brother — a seniority distinction English ignores entirely.
Build your family tree — free
Kinidhi's tree maker lets you add relatives in a few taps, with the correct Hindi kinship term computed for every relative. No sign-up, nothing leaves your device, and you can download the finished tree as an image.
Open the free tree maker →Mother's siblings
- Mother's brother: mama (his wife: mami)
- Mother's sister: mausi (her husband: mausa)
The mother's brother (mama) is a beloved figure in many families, with his own special relationship to his sister's children.
Siblings and their families
- Elder brother: bhai / bada bhai; Elder sister: didi / bahen
- Brother's wife: bhabhi; Sister's husband: jija / jijaji
Elder siblings are often addressed with respectful terms (didi, bhaiya), reflecting the importance of seniority.
In-laws (after marriage)
- Husband's/wife's father: sasur; Husband's/wife's mother: saas
- Husband's brother: dewar (younger) / jeth (elder)
- Wife's brother: saala; Wife's sister: saali
Marriage brings a whole new vocabulary, again precise about side and seniority.
Build your family tree — free
Kinidhi's tree maker lets you add relatives in a few taps, with the correct Hindi kinship term computed for every relative. No sign-up, nothing leaves your device, and you can download the finished tree as an image.
Open the free tree maker →The logic behind the words
Two ideas organize Hindi kinship: which side (paternal vs maternal) and seniority (elder vs younger). Once you see these, the long list becomes a system — chacha vs tau is simply younger vs elder paternal uncle; mama vs chacha is maternal vs paternal. Capturing these exact terms in a family tree preserves relationships that "uncle" and "aunt" blur into one.
> Note: usage varies by region, family, and community — these are the most widely used forms, and your family may use affectionate or local variants.
Frequently asked questions
What do you call your mother's brother in Hindi?
Your mother's brother is mama, and his wife is mami. This is different from your father's brothers, who are tau (elder) and chacha (younger) — Hindi marks both the side of the family and seniority.
What is the difference between chacha and tau?
Both are your father's brothers, but tau is the father's *elder* brother and chacha is the *younger* brother. Their wives are tai and chachi respectively. Hindi distinguishes elder from younger, which English does not.