Family and respect
Older and younger, mother's side and father's side, and what to call people.
Telugu has separate words for relatives that English lumps together. Brothers and sisters are older or younger, and grandparents, uncles and aunts depend on whose side they are on.
Brothers and sisters
| Older | Younger | |
|---|---|---|
| Brother | అన్న anna, అన్నయ్య annayya | తమ్ముడు tammuḍu |
| Sister | అక్క akka | చెల్లెలు cellelu, చెల్లి celli |
అన్నయ్య sounds warmer than అన్న, and is what you call him. Brothers together are అన్నదమ్ములు annadammulu, and sisters అక్కచెల్లెళ్ళు akkacelleḷḷu.
- mā annayya amerikālō uṁṭāḍu.My older brother lives in America.
- nāku oka tammuḍu, iddaru celleḷḷu unnāru.I have a younger brother and two younger sisters.
Parents and grandparents
| Telugu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| అమ్మ amma | mother |
| నాన్న nānna | father |
| తల్లిదండ్రులు tallidaṁḍrulu | parents |
| తాతయ్య tātayya, తాత tāta | grandfather |
| అమ్మమ్మ ammamma | grandmother: mother's mother |
| నాయనమ్మ nāyanamma | grandmother: father's mother |
Uncles and aunts
| Telugu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| పెదనాన్న pedanānna | father's older brother |
| బాబాయి bābāyi | father's younger brother |
| పెద్దమ్మ peddamma | mother's older sister |
| పిన్ని pinni | mother's younger sister |
| మామయ్య māmayya | mother's brother; father-in-law |
| అత్తయ్య attayya | father's sister; mother-in-law |
Their wives and husbands share the words: పెద్దమ్మ is also the wife of పెదనాన్న, and పిన్ని the wife of బాబాయి. Literally, పెదనాన్న is "big father" and పెద్దమ్మ "big mother".
Husband, wife and children
| Telugu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| భర్త bharta | husband |
| భార్య bhārya | wife |
| కొడుకు koḍuku | son |
| కూతురు kūturu | daughter |
| మనవడు manavaḍu | grandson |
| మనవరాలు manavarālu | granddaughter |
In speech, a woman often says మా ఆయన mā āyana "my husband" and a man మా ఆవిడ mā āviḍa "my wife", literally "our he" and "our she" (Personal pronouns). మా అబ్బాయి mā abbāyi "our boy" and మా అమ్మాయి mā ammāyi "our girl" are common for one's own son and daughter.
- mā āyana iṁṭlō lēru.My husband isn't at home.
What to call them
Older relatives are called by the kin word, never by name, with the last vowel made long: అన్నయ్యా annayyā, అక్కా akkā, మామయ్యా māmayyā. Younger ones are called by name. The same words are used for people outside the family (Polite speech and greetings).
- akkā, ilā rā.Come here, sister.
Cards from this guide
9 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Family, numbers and time cards.
Which word for 'older brother' sounds warmer, and is what you call him?
అన్నయ్య (annayya).
What's 'younger sister'?
చెల్లెలు (cellelu), or చెల్లి (celli) in speech.
What does అమ్మమ్మ (ammamma) mean?
'Grandmother': your mother's mother.
What does బాబాయి (bābāyi) mean?
Father's younger brother, an uncle.
What two relatives can మామయ్య (māmayya) mean?
Your mother's brother, or your father-in-law.
What does పిన్ని (pinni) mean?
Mother's younger sister, an aunt; also the wife of బాబాయి.
How does a woman usually say 'my husband' in everyday speech?
మా ఆయన (mā āyana).
What are 'son' and 'daughter'?
కొడుకు (koḍuku) and కూతురు (kūturu).
Do you call an older sister by her name?
No: you call her అక్కా (akkā), by the kin word.