Lessons
Reference — kinship
Who is who, in Nepali
Unlike English — where one word (“uncle”, “cousin”) flattens the family tree — Nepali distinguishes paternal vs maternal side, elder vs younger sibling, and marries multiple relations into a single term. 35+ kinship words you will hear at every homestay, by generation.
Companion to kinship as address — how strangers get called ‘daai’, ‘didi’, ‘baajee’.
Grandparent generation
हजुरबुवा
hajurbuwa
Grandfather (paternal — father's father)
Father's side
हजुरआमा
hajuraama
Grandmother (paternal — father's mother)
Father's side
बाजे
baaje
Grandfather (general, also used for elderly men)
Either side
बजै
bajai
Grandmother (general, also used for elderly women)
Either side
नाना
naanaa / naanee
Maternal grandfather
Mother's side
नानी आमा
naanee aama
Maternal grandmother (one variant)
Mother's side
Parent / aunt-uncle generation
बुवा / बाबा
buwa / baabaa
Father
Either side
आमा
aama
Mother
Either side
ठूलो बुवा / ठूलो बा
thulo buwa / thulo baa
Father's elder brother
Father's side
ठूली आमा
thulee aama
Wife of father's elder brother (or elder sister of mother)
Either side
काका / कान्छा बा
kaakaa / kaanchaa baa
Father's younger brother
Father's side
काकी
kaakee
Wife of father's younger brother
Father's side
फुपू
phupu
Father's sister (paternal aunt)
Father's side
फुपाजु
phupaaju
Husband of father's sister
Father's side
मामा
maamaa
Mother's brother (maternal uncle)
Mother's side
extremely affectionate relation in Nepali culture — maternal uncles often play a special role at weddings
माइजू
maijuu
Wife of mother's brother
Mother's side
सानी आमा
saanee aama
Mother's younger sister
Mother's side
ठूली आमा
thulee aama (maternal sense)
Mother's elder sister
Mother's side
homophonous with paternal sense — context disambiguates
Same generation (siblings, cousins, in-laws, spouses)
दाजु / दाइ
daaju / daai
Elder brother
Either side
also used to address ANY man slightly older — porters, taxi drivers, shopkeepers
भाइ
bhaai
Younger brother
Either side
दिदी / दिज्यू
didi / dijyuu
Elder sister
Either side
used to address any woman slightly older — extremely common tourist usage
बहिनी
bahini
Younger sister
Either side
ज्वाइँ
jwaain
Sister's husband / son-in-law
In-law
बुहारी
buhaaree
Daughter-in-law / brother's wife
In-law
साली
saalee
Wife's younger sister
In-law
साला
saalaa
Wife's brother
In-law
in some registers an insult — be careful
जेठान
jethaan
Wife's elder brother
In-law
श्रीमती
shrimati
Wife (formal)
In-law
श्रीमान्
shrimaan
Husband (formal)
In-law
बूढी
buudhee
Wife (casual, between close friends)
In-law
literally 'old woman' — colloquial, affectionate, used by men referring to their own wife
बूढा
buudhaa
Husband (casual)
In-law
parallel to buudhee — never use to a stranger
ममाको छोरा
maamaako choraa
Cross-cousin (mother's brother's son)
Mother's side
in some communities, the canonical marriage partner — cross-cousin marriage was traditional, though uncommon now
फुपूको छोरी
phupuuko choree
Cross-cousin (father's sister's daughter)
Father's side
Children
छोरा
choraa
Son
छोरी
choree
Daughter
Grandchildren
नाति
naati
Grandson
नातिनी
naatinee
Granddaughter
Practical tip for visitors
You won't need 35 of these. Eight will get you very far: buwa, aama, daai, didi, bhaai, bahini, kaakaa, kaakee. The full matrix is here so you understand what your host means when she says “mero phupuuko jwaain” (my paternal aunt's son-in-law). The other 27 you can recognise, not produce.