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)

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