As opposed to many languages, Persian is very clear about family members and has an extensive vocabulary. For instance, “uncle” can mean “the father’s brother, the mother’s brother, the aunt’s husband” where “aunt” itself has maternal and paternal sides. Persian has distinct words for the different senses of “uncle”.
Couple
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| خانواده xânevâde |
family |
| زن zan |
wife |
| شوهر šowhar |
husband |
| زن و شوهر zan o šowhar |
couple (lit. husband and wife) |
| زوج zowj |
couple |
| همسر hamsar |
spouse |
| نیمه‌ی گم‌شده nime-ye gomšode |
better half |
Parents
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| پدر pedar |
father |
| مادر mâdar |
mother |
| پدر و مادر pedar o mâdar |
parents |
| پدرمادر pedar-mâdar |
parents |
| والدین vâledeyn |
parents |
| پدربزرگ pedarbozorg |
grandfather |
| مادربزرگ mâdarbozorg |
grandmother |
| پدربزرگ و مادربزرگ pedarbozorg o mâdarbozorg |
grandparents |
| پدربزرگ‌مادربزرگ pedarbozorg-mâdarbozorg |
grandparents |
| پدر پدربزرگ pedar-e pedarbozorg |
great grandfather (grandfather’s father) |
| پدر مادربزرگ pedar-e mâdarbozorg |
great grandfather (grandmother’s father) |
| مادر پدربزرگ mâdar-e pedarbozorg |
great grandmother (grandfather’s mother) |
| مادر مادربزرگ mâdar-e mâdarbozorg |
great grandmother (grandmother’s mother) |
| جد jadd |
ancestor |
| پدرجد pedarjadd |
paternal ancestor |
| مادرجد mâdarjadd |
maternal ancestor |
Siblings
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| برادر barâdar |
brother |
| خواهر xwâhar |
sister |
| خواهربرادر xwâhar-barâdar |
siblings |
| برادرخواهر barâdar-xwâhar |
siblings |
Children
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| بچه bačče |
child |
| پسر pesar |
son |
| دختر doxtar |
daughter |
| نوه nave |
grandchild |
| نتیجه natije |
great grandchild |
| نبیره nabire |
great great grandchild |
| ندیده nadide |
great great great grandchild |
In-laws
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| پدرشوهر pedaršowhar |
husband’s father (father-in-law) |
| مادرشوهر mâdaršowhar |
husband’s mother (mother-in-law) |
| پدرزن pedarzan |
wife’s father (father-in-law) |
| مادرزن mâdarzan |
wife’s mother (mother-in-law) |
| برادرشوهر barâdaršowhar |
husband’s brother (brother-in-law) |
| برادرزن barâdarzan |
wife’s brother (brother-in-law) |
| خواهرشوهر xwâharšowhar |
husband’s sister (sister-in-law) |
| خواهرزن xwâharzan |
wife’s sister (sister-in-law) |
| باجناق bâjenâǧ |
husband of wife’s sister (brother-in-law) |
| جاری jâri |
wife of husband’s brother (sister-in-law) |
| داماد dâmâd |
daughter’s husband (son-in-law) |
| عروس arus |
son’s wife (daughter-in-law) |
- When two men marry two sisters, they become باجناق of each other.
- When two women marry two brothers, they become جاری of each other.
Parents’ siblings
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| دایی dâyi |
maternal uncle |
| خاله xâle |
maternal aunt |
| عمو amu |
paternal uncle |
| عمه amme |
paternal aunt |
Siblings’ children
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| برادرزاده barâdarzâde |
brother’s child (nephew, niece) |
| خواهرزاده xwâharzâde |
sister’s child (nephew, niece) |
| پسر برادر pesar-e barâdar |
brother’s son (nephew) |
| پسر خواهر pesar-e xwâhar |
sister’s son (nephew) |
| دختر برادر doxtar-e barâdar |
brother’s daughter (niece) |
| دختر خواهر doxtar-e xwâhar |
sister’s daughter (niece) |
Family of parents’ siblings
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| دایی‌زاده dâyizâde |
child of maternal uncle |
| پسردایی pesardâyi |
son of maternal uncle (cousin) |
| دختردایی doxtardâyi |
daughter of maternal uncle (cousin) |
| زن‌دایی zandâyi |
wife of maternal uncle |
| خاله‌زاده xâlezâde |
child of maternal aunt |
| پسرخاله pesarxâle |
son of maternal aunt (cousin) |
| دخترخاله doxtarxâle |
daughter of maternal aunt (cousin) |
| شوهرخاله šowharxâle |
husband of maternal aunt |
| عموزاده amuzâde |
child of paternal uncle |
| پسرعمو pesaramu |
son of paternal uncle (cousin) |
| دخترعمو doxtaramu |
daughter of paternal uncle (cousin) |
| زن‌عمو zanamu |
wife of paternal uncle |
| عمه‌زاده ammezâde |
child of paternal aunt |
| پسرعمه pesaramme |
son of paternal aunt (cousin) |
| دخترعمه doxtaramme |
daughter of paternal aunt (cousin) |
| شوهرعمه šowharamme |
husband of paternal aunt |
Adoptive members
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| پدرخوانده pedarxwânde |
adoptive father |
| مادرخوانده mâdarxwânde |
adoptive mother |
| پسرخوانده pesarxwânde |
adoptive son |
| دخترخوانده doxtarxwânde |
adoptive daughter |
| برادرخوانده barâdarxwânde |
adoptive brother |
| خواهرخوانده xwâharxwânde |
adoptive sister |
Step members
| Persian | English |
|---|---|
| ناپدری nâpedari |
stepfather |
| نامادری nâmâdari |
stepmother |
| ناپسری nâpesari |
stepson |
| نادختری nâdoxtari |
stepdaughter |
| نابرادری nâbarâdari |
stepbrother |
| ناخواهری nâxwâhari |
stepsister |
| تنی tani |
consanguineous |
| ناتنی nâtani |
non-consanguineous |