Anyone who has tried explaining their family tree to a non-Indian friend knows the challenge: English has exactly one word for 'uncle' and one for 'aunt,' while Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali, and nearly every Indian language have a dozen distinct, precise terms — each one telling you exactly how that person is related, from which side of the family, and often their relative age. This guide brings together the most common Indian family relationship terms in one place, useful for NRI families raising children who may not have grown up using them daily.
Quick Answer
Father's side: Dada/Dadi (grandparents), Tau/Tai (father's older brother & wife), Chacha/Chachi (father's younger brother & wife), Bua/Fufa (father's sister & husband). Mother's side: Nana/Nani (grandparents), Mama/Mami (mother's brother & wife), Mausi/Mausa (mother's sister & husband). In-law terms: Sasur/Saas (spouse's parents), Sala/Sali (spouse's siblings), Devar/Jeth (husband's brothers), Nanad (husband's sister).
Grandparents
Dada (paternal grandfather), Dadi (paternal grandmother), Nana (maternal grandfather), Nani (maternal grandmother). Many regional languages use similar but distinct sounds — Tamil uses Thatha/Paati, Telugu uses Tata/Ammamma, while Bengali uses Dadu/Didima and Dadu/Thakurma depending on the side, reflecting the same father-side/mother-side distinction found in Hindi.
Father's Side Relations
Tau or Taya (father's older brother — given special respect as senior to one's own father), Tai (Tau's wife), Chacha (father's younger brother), Chachi (Chacha's wife), Bua or Phupho (father's sister), Fufa (Bua's husband). The distinction between Tau and Chacha based on whether they're older or younger than your father is unique to many Indian languages and reflects the importance of birth order within extended families.
Mother's Side Relations
Mama (mother's brother — traditionally holds a special, affectionate role in Indian families, particularly at weddings and ceremonies), Mami (Mama's wife), Mausi or Maasi (mother's sister), Mausa (Mausi's husband). The Mama-Bhanja (maternal uncle-nephew/niece) relationship carries particular ceremonial significance in many Hindu rituals, including specific roles in weddings.
In-Law Relations After Marriage
Sasur (father-in-law), Saas (mother-in-law), Sala (wife's brother), Sali (wife's sister), Jeth (husband's older brother), Devar (husband's younger brother), Jethani (Jeth's wife), Devrani (Devar's wife), Nanad (husband's sister), Nandoi (Nanad's husband). These terms become central to daily family life after marriage and carry their own specific etiquette and relationship dynamics in joint family settings.
💡 Family tradition tip
If your children are growing up outside India and don't use these terms daily, teaching them even the core ones — Dada, Dadi, Nana, Nani, Mama, Chacha — preserves a small but meaningful piece of how Indian families understand relationship and respect. Document your own family's specific relationship map on OurParampara so the connections stay clear across generations and continents.