Tamil Kinship Terms: A Family Relationship Guide
Tamil has one of the most precise kinship vocabularies anywhere, with a distinct word for nearly every relative based on side of the family, relative age, and the cross/parallel distinction. Here's a friendly guide to common Tamil kinship terms.
- Father: appa; Mother: amma
- Grandfather: thatha; Grandmother: paati
Many families distinguish paternal and maternal grandparents in everyday speech, but thatha and paati are the widely used terms for grandfather and grandmother.
Father's siblings
- Father's elder brother: periyappa ("big father"); his wife: periyamma
- Father's younger brother: chithappa ("small father"); his wife: chithi
- Father's sister: athai
Like other South Indian languages, Tamil splits the father's brother into elder (periyappa) and younger (chithappa) — and treats them almost as additional fathers, which is the parallel-relative logic at work.
Build your family tree — free
Kinidhi's tree maker lets you add relatives in a few taps, with the correct Tamil 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 (maternal uncle); his wife: mami
- Mother's elder sister: periyamma; Mother's younger sister: chithi
The mama (mother's brother) is especially significant in Tamil families — he's a cross relative, and traditionally his children and yours "line up" in the cross-cousin marriage system.
Siblings
- Elder brother: anna; Younger brother: thambi
- Elder sister: akka; Younger sister: thangai
Tamil marks elder and younger siblings with separate words — anna vs thambi, akka vs thangai — so seniority is always clear.
The cross/parallel logic
Tamil kinship reflects the cross and parallel distinction directly. Your father's sister (athai) and mother's brother (mama) are "cross" relatives, and their children are cross cousins — a different category from your parallel cousins, who are treated like siblings. This is why athai and mama have special terms, and why their roles in the family are distinct.
Build your family tree — free
Kinidhi's tree maker lets you add relatives in a few taps, with the correct Tamil 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 →In-laws
- Father-in-law: mamanar; Mother-in-law: mamiyar
- Husband's/elder relative's terms vary by region and community.
Marriage terms in Tamil often connect to the cross-cousin system, reflecting how families have traditionally joined.
> Note: usage varies by region, community, and family. These are common, widely understood forms; your family may use local or affectionate variants.
Frequently asked questions
What do you call your father's elder brother in Tamil?
Your father's elder brother is periyappa ("big father") and his wife is periyamma. The father's younger brother is chithappa ("small father"). Tamil treats them almost as additional fathers — the parallel-relative logic.
What is mama in Tamil kinship?
Mama is your mother's brother, a "cross" relative whose role is special in Tamil families. Traditionally, his children and yours line up as cross cousins in the marriage system, which is why he has a distinct term and place.