What do you call your father's brother, your cousin, or your spouse's sister in Russian? Browse or search the full chart below.
Tap any relative in the tree below to see what they're called in Russian, and what they'd call you back.
Grandparents
Parents & Their Siblings
Siblings & Cousins
Spouse & In-Laws
Children, Grandchildren & Their Spouses
Father's father
Dedushka
No everyday split by paternal vs maternal side.
Father's mother
Babushka
Mother's father
Dedushka
Mother's mother
Babushka
Father
Otets
Informal: Papa
Mother
Mat
Informal: Mama
Father's older brother
Dyadya
Russian doesn't split uncle by side of the family or age; 'starshiy'/'mladshiy' (older/younger) can be added as a modifier.
Father's younger brother
Dyadya
Father's sister
Tyotya
Mother's older brother
Dyadya
Mother's younger brother
Dyadya
Mother's sister
Tyotya
Father's older brother's wife
Zhena dyadi
Descriptive ('uncle's wife'), not a single dedicated word.
Father's younger brother's wife
Zhena dyadi
Mother's brother's wife
Zhena dyadi
Father's sister's husband
Muzh tyoti
Descriptive ('aunt's husband').
Mother's sister's husband
Muzh tyoti
Older brother
Starshiy brat
Younger brother
Mladshiy brat
Older sister
Starshaya sestra
Younger sister
Mladshaya sestra
Father's brother's son
Dvoyurodnyi brat
Russian cousin terms mark the cousin's gender but not which side of the family, unlike the aunt/uncle-in-law terms below.
Father's brother's daughter
Dvoyurodnaya sestra
Father's sister's son
Dvoyurodnyi brat
Father's sister's daughter
Dvoyurodnaya sestra
Mother's brother's son
Dvoyurodnyi brat
Mother's brother's daughter
Dvoyurodnaya sestra
Mother's sister's son
Dvoyurodnyi brat
Mother's sister's daughter
Dvoyurodnaya sestra
Son
Syn
Daughter
Doch
Grandson
Vnuk
Granddaughter
Vnuchka
Son-in-law
Zyat
The same word Russian uses for 'sister's husband.'
Daughter-in-law
Nevestka
Brother's son
Plemyannik
Sister's son
Plemyannik
Brother's daughter
Plemyannitsa
Sister's daughter
Plemyannitsa
Husband
Muzh
Wife
Zhena
Spouse's father
Svyokor (husband's father, used by the wife) / Test (wife's father, used by the husband)
Russian has no single word for 'father-in-law' - which word applies depends on which spouse is speaking.
Spouse's mother
Svekrov (husband's mother, used by the wife) / Tyoshcha (wife's mother, used by the husband)
Same split as father-in-law: the two relationships have always had separate, non-interchangeable words.
Husband's older brother
Dever
Husband's younger brother
Dever
Husband's sister
Zolovka
Wife's brother
Shurin
Wife's sister
Svoyachenitsa
Brother's wife
Nevestka
The same word Russian uses for 'daughter-in-law.'
Sister's husband
Zyat
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These terms reflect commonly used Russian family vocabulary. Usage can vary by region, dialect, or individual family custom.
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