Nepali Family Relationship Terms

Father's father

Baje

Formal: Hajurbuwa. Grandparent terms vary noticeably by family/region in Nepali.

Father's mother

Bajai

Formal: Hajurama.

Mother's father

Nana

Some families use Baje for both sides instead.

Mother's mother

Nani

Father

Buwa

Also 'Baba.'

Mother

Aama

Father's older brother

Thulo Baba

Literally 'big father': treated like a second father. 'Thulo/Sano' (big/small) is Nepali's general pattern for splitting a parent's same-gender sibling by age.

Father's younger brother

Kaka

Also 'Sano Baba' ('small father') in some families.

Father's sister

Fupu

Mother's older brother

Thulo Mama

Mother's younger brother

Sano Mama

Mother's sister

Maiju

Some families instead say 'Thulo Aama' (older than your mother) or 'Sano Aama' (younger), treating her like a second mother.

Father's older brother's wife

Thulo Aama

Father's younger brother's wife

Kaki

Mother's brother's wife

Maiju

Father's sister's husband

Fupaajyu

Mother's sister's husband

Mama

Same root word used for 'mother's brother' in some families.

Older brother

Dai

Younger brother

Bhai

Older sister

Didi

Younger sister

Bahini

Father's brother's son

Dai / Bhai

Nepali typically has no separate 'cousin' word: an uncle or aunt's children are called Dai/Didi (if older than you) or Bhai/Bahini (if younger), the same words used for siblings.

Father's brother's daughter

Didi / Bahini

Father's sister's son

Dai / Bhai

Father's sister's daughter

Didi / Bahini

Mother's brother's son

Dai / Bhai

Mother's brother's daughter

Didi / Bahini

Mother's sister's son

Dai / Bhai

Mother's sister's daughter

Didi / Bahini

Son

Chora

Daughter

Chori

Grandson

Nati

Granddaughter

Natini

Son-in-law

Jwai

Daughter-in-law

Buhari

Brother's son

Bhatij

Sister's son

Bhanja

Brother's daughter

Bhatiji

Sister's daughter

Bhanji

Husband

Shrimaan

Also colloquially 'Logne.'

Wife

Shrimati

Also colloquially 'Swasni.'

Spouse's father

Sasura

Spouse's mother

Sasu

Husband's older brother

Jetha Ju

Husband's younger brother

Dewar

Husband's sister

Nanda

Wife's brother

Sala

Wife's sister

Sali

Brother's wife

Bhauju

Sister's husband

Bhinaju