As opposed to many languages, Persian is very clear about family members and has an extensive vocabulary. “Uncle” can mean “the father's brother”, “the mother's brother” and “the aunt's husband” where “aunt” itself has maternal and paternal meanings. Persian has distinct words for all the senses of “uncle”.
Couple
- خانواده
khânevâde
family - زن
zan
wife - شوهر
showhar
husband - زن و شوهر
zan o showhar
couple
(husband and wife) - زوج
zowj
couple - همسر
hamsar
spouse - نیمه‌ی گم‌شده
nime-ye gomshode
better half
Parents
- 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
- برادر
barâdar
brother - خواهر
khwâhar
sister - خواهربرادر
khwâhar-barâdar
siblings - برادرخواهر
barâdar-khwâhar
siblings
Children
- بچه
bachche
child - پسر
pesar
son - دختر
dokhtar
daughter - نوه
nave
grandchild - نتیجه
natije
great grandchild - نبیره
nabire
great great grandchild - ندیده
nadide
great great great grandchild
In-laws
- پدرشوهر
pedarshowhar
husband’s father
(father-in-law) - مادرشوهر
mâdarshowhar
husband’s mother
(mother-in-law) - پدرزن
pedarzan
wife’s father
(father-in-law) - مادرزن
mâdarzan
wife’s mother
(mother-in-law) - برادرشوهر
barâdarshowhar
husband’s brother
(brother-in-law) - برادرزن
barâdarzan
wife’s brother
(brother-in-law) - خواهرشوهر
khwâharshowhar
husband’s sister
(sister-in-law) - خواهرزن
khwâharzan
wife’s sister
(sister-in-law) - باجناق
bâjenâgh
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
- دایی
dâyi
maternal uncle - خاله
khâle
maternal aunt - عمو
amu
paternal uncle - عمه
amme
paternal aunt
Siblings' children
- برادرزاده
barâdarzâde
brother's child (nephew, niece) - خواهرزاده
khwâharzâde
sister's child (nephew, niece) - پسر برادر
pesar-e barâdar
brother's son (nephew) - پسر خواهر
pesar-e khwâhar
brother's son (nephew) - دختر برادر
dokhtar-e barâdar
brother's daughter (niece) - دختر خواهر
dokhtar-e khwâhar
brother's daughter (niece)
Family of parents' siblings
- دایی‌زاده
dâyizâde
child of maternal uncle - پسردایی
pesardâyi
son of maternal uncle (cousin) - دختردایی
dokhtardâyi
daughter of maternal uncle (cousin) - زن‌دایی
zandâyi
wife of maternal uncle - خاله‌زاده
khâlezâde
child of maternal aunt - پسرخاله
pesarkhâle
son of maternal aunt (cousin) - دخترخاله
dokhtarkhâle
daughter of maternal aunt (cousin) - شوهرخاله
showharkhâle
husband of maternal aunt - عموزاده
amuzâde
child of paternal uncle - پسرعمو
pesaramu
son of paternal uncle (cousin) - دخترعمو
dokhtaramu
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
dokhtaramme
daughter of paternal aunt (cousin) - شوهرعمه
showharamme
husband of paternal aunt
Adoptive members
- پدرخوانده
pedarkhwânde
adoptive father - مادرخوانده
mâdarkhwânde
adoptive mother - پسرخوانده
pesarkhwânde
adoptive son - دخترخوانده
dokhtarkhwânde
adoptive daughter - برادرخوانده
barâdarkhwânde
adoptive brother - خواهرخوانده
khwâharkhwânde
adoptive sister
Step members
- ناپدری
nâpedari
stepfather - نامادری
nâmâdari
stepmother - ناپسری
nâpesari
stepson - نادختری
nâdokhtari
stepdaughter - نابرادری
nâbarâdari
stepbrother - ناخواهری
nâkhwâhari
stepsister - تنی
tani
consanguineous - ناتنی
nâtani
non-consanguineous