Punjabi Family Words: 30+ Relationship Names

Family Vocabulary in Punjabi

Punjabi has more specific words for family relationships than English does — it distinguishes your mother's side from your father's side, your spouse's siblings from your siblings, and so on. This guide covers the 30+ most important family terms with Gurmukhi script and pronunciation.

Why Family Vocabulary Matters in Punjabi

Family is the centre of Punjabi culture. You rarely meet someone in a Punjabi household without quickly being told who they are — your "chacha ji" (paternal uncle), your "mami" (maternal uncle's wife), your "nani" (maternal grandmother). Getting these terms right shows respect and earns you instant warmth from elders. For heritage speakers reconnecting with the language, family words are often the most emotionally rewarding place to start.

Immediate Family

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word	Pronunciation
Mother	ਮਾਂ	Maa	maa
Mother (affectionate)	ਮੰਮੀ	Mummy	mum-mee
Father	ਪਿਤਾ	Pita	pi-taa
Father (affectionate)	ਪਾਪਾ / ਡੈਡੀ	Papa / Daddy	paa-paa / dad-dee
Parents	ਮਾਪੇ	Maape	maa-pay
Older brother	ਭਰਾ / ਭਾ ਜੀ	Bhra / Bha ji	buh-ra / baa-jee
Younger brother	ਛੋਟਾ ਭਰਾ	Chhota Bhra	chho-ta buh-ra
Older sister	ਭੈਣ / ਭੈਣ ਜੀ	Bhain / Bhain ji	bhain
Younger sister	ਛੋਟੀ ਭੈਣ	Chhoti Bhain	chho-tee bhain
Husband	ਪਤੀ	Pati	puh-tee
Wife	ਪਤਨੀ	Patni	put-nee
Son	ਪੁੱਤਰ / ਮੁੰਡਾ	Puttar / Munda	put-tar / moon-da
Daughter	ਧੀ / ਕੁੜੀ	Dhee / Kuri	dhee / koo-ree

Note on age: Punjabi distinguishes older from younger siblings. The older brother (Bha ji) and older sister (Bhain ji) are addressed with "ji" as a sign of respect. Younger siblings are addressed by name.

Grandparents — Maternal vs Paternal Matters

Unlike English's generic "grandmother" and "grandfather," Punjabi uses completely different words depending on which side of the family the grandparent is from.

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word
Paternal grandfather (father's father)	ਦਾਦਾ	Dada
Paternal grandmother (father's mother)	ਦਾਦੀ	Dadi
Maternal grandfather (mother's father)	ਨਾਨਾ	Nana
Maternal grandmother (mother's mother)	ਨਾਨੀ	Nani

The respectful form adds "ji" — so "Dadi ji" or "Nani ji" — when addressing them directly.

Aunts and Uncles

This is where Punjabi gets very specific. There are eight different words for aunts and uncles depending on (a) which side of the family they come from and (b) whether they're related by blood or marriage.

Father's Side

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word
Father's older brother	ਤਾਇਆ	Taya
Father's older brother's wife	ਤਾਈ	Tai
Father's younger brother	ਚਾਚਾ	Chacha
Father's younger brother's wife	ਚਾਚੀ	Chachi
Father's sister	ਭੂਆ	Bhua
Father's sister's husband	ਫੁੱਫੜ	Phuphar

Mother's Side

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word
Mother's brother	ਮਾਮਾ	Mama
Mother's brother's wife	ਮਾਮੀ	Mami
Mother's sister	ਮਾਸੀ	Masi
Mother's sister's husband	ਮਾਸੜ	Masar

Why so many words? Punjabi (and broader South Asian) family culture has historically maintained close ties with both sides of the family, and the specific relationship affects social etiquette — who you can joke with, who you defer to, who has authority in certain situations. The vocabulary reflects that complexity.

In-Laws

Marriage brings a whole new set of relationship terms.

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word
Father-in-law	ਸਹੁਰਾ	Sauhura
Mother-in-law	ਸੱਸ	Sass
Husband's older brother	ਜੇਠ	Jeth
Husband's younger brother	ਦਿਉਰ	Diyor
Husband's sister	ਨਣਦ	Nanad
Wife's brother	ਸਾਲਾ	Sala
Wife's sister	ਸਾਲੀ	Sali
Son-in-law	ਜਵਾਈ	Jawai
Daughter-in-law	ਨੂੰਹ	Nooh

Children and Grandchildren

Relationship	Gurmukhi	Word
Children (general)	ਬੱਚੇ	Bachche
Grandson (son's son)	ਪੋਤਾ	Pota
Granddaughter (son's daughter)	ਪੋਤੀ	Poti
Grandson (daughter's son)	ਦੋਹਤਾ	Dohta
Granddaughter (daughter's daughter)	ਦੋਹਤੀ	Dohti

How to Address Elders Respectfully

A few simple rules go a long way:

• Add "ji" after the relationship word to show respect: "Mummy ji," "Papa ji," "Dadi ji," "Mama ji"
• Use "tusi" (formal you) instead of "tu" (informal) when speaking to anyone older
• Never use first names for elders. Always use the relationship term.

Common Phrases Using Family Words

• ਮਾਂ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈ? (Maa kithe hai?) — "Where is mom?"
• ਮੇਰੇ ਦੋ ਭਰਾ ਹਨ (Mere do bhra han) — "I have two brothers"
• ਨਾਨੀ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਣ ਚੱਲੀਏ (Nani ji nu milan challiye) — "Let's go visit grandma"
• ਮੇਰੇ ਚਾਚਾ ਜੀ ਡਾਕਟਰ ਹਨ (Mere chacha ji doctor han) — "My uncle is a doctor"

For Heritage Speakers: Reconnecting Through Family Words

If you grew up hearing Punjabi at home but never fully learned to speak it, family vocabulary is the perfect entry point. You probably already recognise "mummy," "papa," "nani," and "dadi" — you just don't know the structure behind them. Once you can name every relative properly and use them in simple sentences, you've crossed the biggest hurdle: feeling confident enough to speak with your grandparents.

Practice Punjabi Family Vocabulary with Alfaazo

Memorising tables only gets you so far. Alfaazo drills family vocabulary with native audio, family-tree exercises, and real conversation scenarios — so the words stick where it matters: in real conversation with your loved ones.

Free on iOS and Android. Start with the Family lesson — it takes 5 minutes.