Persian family words

Family vocabulary is high-value in Persian, because family is at the centre of social life.

The core words are madar مادر (mother) and pedar پدر (father). In everyday speech, people say maman and baba, just like mom and dad.

Siblings and children

Khahar خواهر is sister, baradar برادر is brother. Pesar پسر means son or boy, and dokhtar دختر means daughter or girl. A child is bach-che بچه.

The precise aunts and uncles

This is where Persian is more exact than English. Amoo عمو is a paternal uncle (father's brother), while daei دایی is a maternal uncle (mother's brother). Ammeh عمه is a paternal aunt, and khaleh خاله is a maternal aunt.

Grandparents and spouses

Madarbozorg مادربزرگ is grandmother and pedarbozorg پدربزرگ is grandfather. Hamsar همسر is the neutral word for spouse; shohar is husband and zan is wife.

Learn the four aunt-and-uncle words carefully, because choosing the right one tells a Persian speaker exactly which side of the family you mean.