Bengali Language/Family
There are a variety of nouns for family members in Bengali, which depend on the difference in age, relation to parents, gender, and other such factors. These often vary across different areas and dialects, the most prominent differences being between the relational terms used in the Indian Bengali-speaking states of West Bengal, Tripura, (along with some districts of Assam and Jharkhand) and the terms practised in Bangladesh.
Family Relations
The Bengali translations to the left/ top are mainly used in the states of West Bengal, Assam & Tripura in India, and the translations to the right/ bottom are generally used in Bangladesh.
| English | Bengali | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Family | বংশ, পরিবার, সংসার | bawng•sho, po•ri•baar, shawng•shaar |
| Relative | আত্মীয় | aat•mee•yo |
| Guardian | অভিভাবক | o•bhi•bhaa•bok |
| Parents | মা-বাবা, মাতাপিতা | maa-baa•baa, maa•taa•pi•taa |
| Father/ Dad | বাবা, পিতা, জনক
আব্বা, আব্বু |
baa•baa, pi•taa, jaw•nok
aab•bba/ aab•bu |
| Mother/ Mom | মা, মাতা, জননী
আম্মা, আম্মু |
maa, maa•taa, jaw•no•ni
aam•maa |
| Grandparents | দাদা-দাদি | daa•daa-daa•di |
| Paternal grandfather | ঠাকুরদাদা, পিতামহ, দাদা / দাদু | thaa•kur•daa•daa, pi•taa•maw•ho, daa•daa/ daa•du |
| Paternal grandmother | ঠাকুরমা, পিতামহী, দিদা / দাদী | thaa•kur•maa, pi•taa•mo•hi, daa•di / di•daa |
| Maternal grandfather | দাদামশাই, মাতামহ, দাদু
নানা |
daa•daa•mo•shaa•i, daa•du
naa•naa |
| Maternal grandmother | দিদিমা, মাতামহী, দিদা
নানী |
di•di•maa, maa•taa•mo•hi, di•daa
naa•ni |
| Paternal uncle | জ্যাঠা / জেঠু, কাকা / কাকু
চাচা |
jæ•tha/ je•thu (older), kaa•kaa/ kaa•ku (younger)
chaa•chaa |
| Paternal uncle's wife | জেঠি / জেঠিমা, কাকি / কাকিমা
চাচী |
je•thi/ je•thi•maa (elder), kaa•ki/ kaa•ki•maa (younger)
chaa•chi |
| Paternal aunt | পিসিমা, পিসী
ফুফু |
pi•shi•maa (elder), pi•shi (younger), phu•phu |
| Paternal aunt's husband | পিসেমশাই, পিসা/ পিসে
ফুফা |
pi•she•mo•shai (elder), pi•sha/ pi•she (younger), phu•phaa |
| Maternal uncle | মামা, মাতুল | maa•maa, maa•tul |
| Maternal uncle's wife | মামী, মাতুলানী | maa•mee, maa•tu•laa•nii |
| Maternal aunt | মাসিমা, মাসি
খালা |
maa•shi•maa (elder), maa•shi (younger), khaa•laa |
| Maternal aunt's husband | মেসোমশাই, মেসো
খালু |
me•sho•mo•sha•i (elder), me•sho (younger), khaa•lu |
| Father-in-law | শ্বশুর | sho•shur |
| Mother-in-law | শাশুড়ী | shaa•shu•ṛee |
| Sibling | ভাইবোন | bhaa•i•bon |
| Brother (Younger)
(Middle) (Elder) |
ভাই, ছোট ভাই, ছোড়দা
মেজো ভাই, মেজদা বড় ভাই, বড়দা, দাদা, ভাইয়া |
bhaa•i,chho•to bhaa•i, chhoṛ•daa
me•jo bhaa•i, mej•daa baw•ṛo bhaa•i, bawṛ•daa, daa•daa, bhaa•i•yaa |
| Sister (Younger)
(Middle) (Elder) |
বোন, ছোট বোন, ছোড়দি
মেজো বোন, মেজদি বড় বোন, বড়দি, দিদি, |
bon, chho•to bon, chhoṛ•di
me•jo bon, mej•di bawṛ•o bon, bawṛ•di, di•di |
| Child | শিশু, সন্তান | shi•shu, shawn•taan |
| Son | ছেলে, পুত্র | chhe•le, pu•tro |
| Daughter | মেয়ে, কন্যা | me•ye, kon•ya |
| Son-in-law | জামাই, জামাতা | jaa•maa•i, jaa•maa•taa |
| Daughter-in-law | বউমা, পুত্রবধু | bo•u•ma, pu•tro•bo•dhu |
| Grandson | নাতি, দৌহিত্র | naa•ti, do•u•hi•tro |
| Granddaughter | নাতনী, দৌহিত্রী | naat•nee, do•u•hi•tree |
| Husband | স্বামী, বর, পতি | shaa•mee, bawr, po•ti |
| Wife | স্ত্রী, বউ, পত্নী | stree, bo•u, pot•nee |
| Cousin (paternal uncle's son) | জ্যেঠতুত দাদা, জ্যেঠতুত ভাই
খুড়তুত দাদা, খুড়তুত ভাই চাচাতো দাদা, চাচাতো ভাই |
jyeth•tut daadaa (elder), jyeth•tut bhaa•i (younger)
khuṛ•tut daa•daa (elder), khuṛ•tut bhaa•i (younger) chaa•chaa•to daa•daa (elder), chaa•chaa•to bhai (younger) |
| Cousin (paternal uncle's daughter) | জ্যেঠতুত দিদি, জ্যেঠতুত বোন
খুড়তুত দিদি, খুড়তুত বোন চাচাতো দিদি, চাচাতো বোন |
jyeth•tut di•di (elder), jyeth•tut bon (younger)
khuṛ•tut di•di (elder), khuṛ•tut bon (younger) chaa•chaa•to di•di (elder), chaa•chaa•to bon (younger) |
| Cousin (paternal aunt's son) | পিসতুত দাদা, পিসতুতো ভাই
ফুফুতো দাদা, ফুফুতো ভাই |
pish•tu•to daa•daa (elder), pish•tu•to bhaa•i (younger)
phu•phu•to daa•daa (elder), phu•phu•to bhaa•i (younger) |
| Cousin (paternal aunt's daughter) | পিসতুত দিদি, পিসতুত বোন
ফুফুতো দিদি, ফুফুতো বোন |
pish•tu•to di•di (elder), pish•tu•to bon (younger)
phu•phu•to di•di (elder), phu•phu•to bon (younger) |
| Cousin (maternal uncle's son) | মামাতো দাদা, মামাতো ভাই | maa•maa•to daa•daa (elder), maa•maa•to bhaa•i (younger) |
| Cousin (maternal uncle's daughter) | মামাতো দিদি, মামাতো বোন | maa•maa•to di•di (elder), maa•maa•to bon (younger) |
| Cousin (maternal aunt's son) | মাসতুতো দাদা, মাসতুতো ভাই
খালাতো দাদা, খালাতো ভাই |
mash•tu•to daa•daa (elder), maash•tu•to bhaa•i (younger)
khaa•laa•to daa•daa (elder), khaa•laa•to bhaa•i (younger) |
| Cousin (maternal aunt's daughter) | মাসতুতো দিদি, মাসতুতো বোন
খালাতো দিদি, খালাতো বোন |
mash•tu•to di•di (elder), mash•tu•to bon (younger)
khaa•laa•to di•di (elder), khaa•laa•to bon (younger) |
| Nephew (brother's son) | ভাইপো, ভাতিজা | bhaa•i•po, bhaa•ti•ja |
| Niece (brother's daughter) | ভাইঝি, ভাতিজি | bha•i•jhi, bhaa•ti•ji |
| Nephew (sister's son) | ভাগনে, ভাগিনা | bhaag•ne, bhaa•gi•naa |
| Niece (sister's daughter) | ভাগ্নী, ভাগিনী | bhaag•ni, bhaa•gi•ni |
| Brother-in-law (husband's brother) | ভাসুর, দেওর / দেবর | bhaa•shur, dæ•or/ de•bor |
| Sister-in-law (husband's brother's wife) | জা | jaa |
| Sister-in-law (husband's sister) | ননদ | naw•nod |
| Brother-in-law (husband's sister's husband) | নন্দাই | nawn•daa•i |
| Brother-in-law (wife's brother) | শালা, শ্যালক | shaa•laa, shæ•lok |
| Sister-in-law (wife's brother's wife) | শালাজ | shaa•laaj |
| Sister-in-law (wife's sister) | শালী, শ্যালিকা | shaa•li, shæ•li•kaa |
| Sister-in-law (brother's wife) |
বৌদি, বৌমা |
bo•u•di (elder brother's), bo•u•ma (younger brother's) |
| Brother-in-law (sister's husband) | দাদাবাবু, বোনাই | daa•daa•baa•bu (elder sister's), bo•naa•i (younger sister's) |