All Slavic languages: Kinship

[Maja]

I was answering thread named "marriage relations", and I saw that Russians have similar names for relatives to does that we have in Serbian and I was wondering if that is the case with other Slavic languages?

Thank you all in advance!

 

[Maja]

Lets start with Serbian. Our language is very rich when it comes to family relations. It has a different name for almost every member of the family, including in-laws.Here it is:

majka (мајка) - mother
otac (отац) - father
ćerka (ћерка) - daughter
sin (син) - son
unuka (унука) - grand-daughter
unuk (унук) - grand-son

brat (брат) - brother
sestra (сестра) - sister
deda (деда) - grandfather
baba (баба) - grandmother
tetka (тетка) - mother's / father's sister
teča (теча) - husband of father's/mother's sister
ujak (ујак) - mother's brother
ujna (ујна) - wife of mother's brother
stric (стриц) - father's brother
strina (стрина) - wife of father's brother

In-lows:
zet (зет) - daughter's / sister's husband
snaja or snaha (снаја/снаха)- son's / brother's wife
prijatelj (пријатељ) - father of child's spouse
prija (прија) - mother of child's spouse

svekar (свекар) - husband's father
svekrva (свекрва) - husband's mother
dever (девер) - husband' s brother
jetrva (јетрва) - wife of husband's brother
zaova (заова) - husband' s sister

tast (таст) - wife's father
tašta (ташта) - wife's mother
šurak (шурак) - wife's brother
šurnjaja (шурњаја) - wife of wife's brother
svastika (свастика) - wife's sister
pašenog (пашеног) - husband of wife's sister
etc.

 

[Insider]

Huh...you know, there are some similarities between Ukrainian and Serbian languages, as I see. I'll try to write in Ukrainian a "family branch".

мама [mama] - mother
тато [tato] - father
син [syn] - son
дочка [dochka] - daughter
внук [vnyk] - grand-son
внучка [vnychka] - grand-daughter

брат [brat] - brother
сестра [sestra] - sister
дідо [dido] - grandfather
баба [baba] - grandmother
вуй(ко) [vuj(ko)] -mother's brother
вуйна [vujna] - wife of mother's brother
стрий [stryj] - father's brother
стрийна [stryjna] - wife of father's brother

 

[Jana337]

matka - mother
otec - father
dcera) - daughter
syn - son
vnučka - grand-daughter
vnuk - grand-son

bratr - brother
sestra - sister
dědeček, děda - grandfather
babička - grandmother
teta - mother's / father's sister
strýc - husband of father's/mother's sister
strýc - mother's brother
teta - wife of mother's brother
strýc - father's brother
teta - wife of father's brother

In-laws:
zeť - daughter's husband
švagr - sister's husband
snacha - son's wife
švagrová - brother's wife
N/A - father of child's spouse
N/A - mother of child's spouse

tchán - husband's father
tchýně - husband's mother
švagr - husband' s brother
švagrová - wife of husband's brother
švagrová - husband' s sister

tchán - wife's father
tchyně - wife's mother
švagr - wife's brother
švagrová - wife of wife's brother
švagrová - wife's sister
švagr - husband of wife's sister
etc.

Oh my, it is so complicated in Serbian! Czech is very economical.

Jana

 

[übermönch]

The czech word for brother sound much like the words for it in other indoeuropean languages (frater, bruder). Interessting if it was like that in protoslavic. Russian words are indeed similar, but i can't recall any complicated relation words. They're very archaic, but they do exist.

 

[Thomas1]

N/A - father of child's spouse
N/A - mother of child's spouse

Don't they =

tchán - husband's father
tchýně - husband's mother
[...]
tchán - wife's father
tchyně - wife's mother

?
And btw is there any difference in spelling between husband's and wife's mother or it's just a tiny typo (tchýně vs, tchyně), please?

Oh my, it is so complicated in Serbian! Czech is very economical.

Indeed, I think I'd wind up guessing who's who. Polish is very much alike Czech in this respect, it's much simpler than in Serbian.
matka (mama) - mother
ojciec (tata) - father
córka - daughter
syn - son
wnuczka - grand-daughter
wnuk - grand-son
brat - brother
siostra - sister
dziadek - grandfather
babka (babcia) - grandmother
ciotka (ciocia) - mother's / father's sister
wuj (wujek) - husband of father's/mother's sister
wuj - mother's brother
ciotka - wife of mother's brother
stryj* - father's brother
stryjenka* - wife of father's brother
*in practice no one uses them nowadys, we use wuj, ciotka respectively
In-lows:
zięć - daughter's husband
szwagier - sister's husband
synowa- son's wife
szwagierka - brother's wife
teść - father of child's spouse
teściowa - mother of child's spouse
teść - husband's father
teściowa - husband's mother
szwagier - husband' s brother
szwagierka - wife of husband's brother
szwagierka - husband' s sister
teść - wife's father
teściowa - wife's mother
szwagier - wife's brother
szwagierka - wife of wife's brother
szwagierka - wife's sister
szwagier - husband of wife's sister
As for teść/teściowa these words are rather formal and the couple usually use tata/mama respectively.

 

[Jana337]

N/A - father of child's spouse
N/A - mother of child's spouse

Don't they =

tchán - husband's father
tchýně - husband's mother

I don't think so. The latter group is from the viewpoint of the young couple, the former one from the viewpoint of the parents. We do not have a word that captures the relationship between his parents and her parents. I hope I understood Maja correctly.

Tchýně is correct, the other word has a typo.

Jana

 

[cajzl]

The Czech form bratr with r came from Protoslavic.

Missing:

synovec - brother's/sister's son
neť (neteř) - brother's/sister's daughter

we sometimes use ujec beside strýc

 

[werrr]

synovec - brother's/sister's son
neť (neteř) - brother's/sister's daughter

I think also

synovec - son of spouse's sibling
neť (neteř) - daughter of spouse's sibling

we sometimes use ujec beside strýc

Only from mother's branch of family, correct?

Cousins are missing also. In Czech (by using previous definitions because of increasing number of possible combinations):

sestřenice - parent's "neteř" (=niece)
bratranec - parent's "synovec" (=nephew)

 

[janek]

There is another word in Polish for husband's mother, almost obsolete now, but still used in some families (in mine, for example): świekra. This is also quite formal.
We also have:
bratowa = brother's wife
kuzyn = cousin (m)
kuzynka = cousin (f)
krewny/krewna = a blood-relative (m/f)
powinowaty/powinowata= a non-blood relative (like our sister's husband's mother) (m/f)

 

[skye]

mama - mother
oče - father
hčerka/hči - daughter
sin - son
vnukinja - grand-daughter
vnuk - grand-son

brat - brother
sestra - sister
dedek - grandfather
babica - grandmother
teta - aunt
stric - uncle

In-laws:
zet - daughter's husband
snaha - son's wife

tast - husband's or wife's father
tašča - husband's or wife's mother
svak - husband's or wife's brother or sister's husband
svakinja - husband's or wife's sister or brother's wife

Words like ujec, ujna and strina also existed in Slovenian at some point, but they are not used anymore.

 

[cajzl]

I think also
synovec - son of spouse's sibling
neť (neteř) - daughter of spouse's sibling

No, I think it is not defined, but you can call them as you want.

It seems that the Czech and Slovenian approaches are very similar (I believe cousin/nephew/niece also exist in Slovenian).

 

[cajzl]

Nothing is perfect.

Husband of husband's sister is missing in the Serbian list.

Also the Serbian term svastika is very strange.

 

[Maja]

Husband of husband's sister is missing in the Serbian list. .

Yes, because I couldn't find the right term. Some say it is : zet (зет).

Also the Serbian term svastika is very strange.

Hmm, yes but it is an old word and it has nothing to do with the Nazis! Unless one has bad relations with one's svastika!!!

 

[Jana337]

Hmm, yes but it is an old word and it has nothing to do with the Nazis! Unless one has bad relations with one's svastika!!!

The discussion about svastika was moved here.

Jana

 

[Anatoli]

As no-one posted Russian kinship terms, here's my list of most common ones:

отец – father
мать – mother
папа – dad
мама – mum
родители – parents
отчим – stepfather
мачеха – stepmother
тесть (wife’s father), свёкр, свекор (husband’s father) – father–in–law
тёща (wife’s mother), свекровь (wife’s mother) – mother–in–law
брат – brother
сестра – sister
двоюродный брат – cousin
двоюродная сестра – cousin
сын – son
дочь – daughter
дедушка – grandfather
бабушка – grandmother
муж – husband
жена – wife
дядя – uncle
тётя – aunt
племянник – nephew
племянница – niece
ребёнок – child
дети – children
внук – grandson
внучка – granddaughter
семья – family

some more less frequently used terms (native Russian make mistakes in them!), explanations in Russian:
зять – муж дочери, муж сестры, муж золовки
сноха – жена сына
деверь – брат мужа
шурин – брат жены
золовка – сестра мужа
свояченица – сестра жены
свояк – муж свояченицы

 

[Maja]

Thank you all for your kind replies!
Pozdrav!

 

[Thomas1]

I don't think so. The latter group is from the viewpoint of the young couple, the former one from the viewpoint of the parents. We do not have a word that captures the relationship between his parents and her parents. I hope I understood Maja correctly.

This phenomenon has been bugging me since I read your reply and I asked my mom about that, she confirms what you wrote. Teść/teściowa are not used in these relations in Poland. I also looked it up in a dictionary and that's true. I could hardly believe that since in my family the two mother-in-laws used to call "teściowa" one another. I wonder how it is with other Polish families.

 

[cajzl]

It is usual to call a person from the viewpoint of someone else.

For example, my sister's husband called his mother-in-law "babička/bába" (= grandma, e.g. "Přišla bába!"). Even my sister called our mother "babička". It was from the viewpoint of their little sons.

 

[Maja]

I don't think so. The latter group is from the viewpoint of the young couple, the former one from the viewpoint of the parents. We do not have a word that captures the relationship between his parents and her parents. I hope I understood Maja correctly.
Jana

Yes.
In Serbian, I would call my husband's parents "svekar/свекар" ( his father ) and "svekrva /свекрва" (his mother).
My husband would call my parents "tast/таст" (my father) and "tašta/ташта" (my mother).

But our parents would address each other as " prijatelji/пријатељи", that is, my parents would address my husband's father as "prijatelj/пријатељ" and my husband's mother as "prija/прија" and vice-versa.

 

[b_fly]

Lets start with Serbian. Our language is very rich when it comes to family relations. It has a different name for almost every member of the family, including in-laws.Here it is:

majka (мајка) - mother
otac (отац) - father
ćerka (ћерка) - daughter
sin (син) - son
unuka (унука) - grand-daughter
unuk (унук) - grand-son

brat (брат) - brother
sestra (сестра) - sister
deda (деда) - grandfather
baba (баба) - grandmother
tetka (тетка) - mother's / father's sister
teča (теча) - husband of father's/mother's sister
ujak (ујак) - mother's brother
ujna (ујна) - wife of mother's brother
stric (стриц) - father's brother
strina (стрина) - wife of father's brother

In-lows:
zet (зет) - daughter's / sister's husband
snaja or snaha (снаја/снаха)- son's / brother's wife
prijatelj (пријатељ) - father of child's spouse
prija (прија) - mother of child's spouse
svekar (свекар) - husband's father
svekrva (свекрва) - husband's mother
dever (девер) - husband' s brother
jetrva (јетрва) - wife of husband's brother
zaova (заова) - husband' s sister

tast (таст) - wife's father
tašta (ташта) - wife's mother
šurak (шурак) - wife's brother
šurnjaja (шурњаја) - wife of wife's brother
svastika (свастика) - wife's sister
pašenog (пашеног) - husband of wife's sister

The same is in Croatian; but I'm not shure about all of them.


majka - mother
otac - father
kći - daughter
sin - son
unuka - grand-daughter
unuk - grand-son

brat - brother
sestra - sister
djed - grandfather
baka - grandmother
tetka - mother's / father's sister
ujak - mother's brother
ujna - wife of mother's brother
stric - father's brother
strina - wife of father's brother

In-lows:
zet - daughter's / sister's husband
snaha - son's / brother's wife
prijatelj - father of child's spouse
prija - mother of child's spouse

svekar - husband's father
svekrva - husband's mother
djever - husband' s brother

tast - wife's father

...about the others I don't know

 

[venenum]

originaly by b_fly:

The same is in Croatian; but I'm not shure about all of them.


majka - mother
otac - father
kći - daughter
sin - son
unuka - grand-daughter
unuk - grand-son

brat - brother
sestra - sister
djed - grandfather
baka - grandmother
tetka - mother's / father's sister
ujak - mother's brother
ujna - wife of mother's brother
stric - father's brother
strina - wife of father's brother

In-lows:
zet - daughter's / sister's husband
snaha - son's / brother's wife
prijatelj - father of child's spouse
prija - mother of child's spouse

svekar - husband's father
svekrva - husband's mother
djever - husband' s brother

tast - wife's father

...about the others I don't know

In addition to this (you have forgotten some family members):

tetak - husband of mother's sister
punac - wife's father
punica - wife's mother

nećak - son of your sibbling/spouse's sibbling
nećaka - daughter of your sibbling/spous'es sibbling

bratić - son of your parent's sibbling
sestrična - daughter of your parent's sibbling

šogor - spouse's brother/sister's husband -> brother in law
šogorica - spouse's sister/brother's wife -> sister in law

There are probably some other expressions for the nuances of the kinship, but they are almost extinct - you can come accross them only in some old books.


poison

 

[Sophia211]

I thought I'd put the Bulgarian ones as well, since no one else did.

майка - mother
баща - father
мама - mom
татко, тати/-е – dad
син – son
дъщеря – daughter
сестра - sister
брат – brother
батко – older brother
кака – older sister
леля - father's sister, mother's sister
чичо - uncle *
вуйчо – mother’s brother **
вуйна – wife of mother’s brother **
свако – husband of mother’s sister **
стрина, стринка – wife of father’s brother
внук - grandson
внучка - granddaughter
братовчед – cousin (male)
братовчедка – cousin (female)
племенник – nephew
племенница – niece
съпруг - husband; мъж – man, also husband (colloquial)
съпруга - wife; жена – woman, also wife (colloquial)
снаха – son’s wife; brother’s wife
зет – daughter’s husband; sister’s husband
заврян зет - a man who lives in the house of his parents-in-law Jß not sure if this isn’t only used as a joke, since the man is not supposed to live with his wife’s family
свекър – husband’s father
свекърва – husband’s mother
тъст – wife’s father
тъща – wife’s mother
етърва – wife of husband’s brother
зълва – husband’s sister
девер – husband’s brother
шурей – wife’s brother
баджанак – husband of wife’s sister
сват – father of child’s spouse
сватя, свата – mother of child’s spouse


семейство – family
родители – parents
дете - child
деца – children
внуче - grandchild
внуци – grandchildren

* not sure exactly what kinds of "uncles" that would include
** not quite sure about these; i got them from our own family's relatives' names

The terms батко, кака, чичо, леля, баба, дядо are also used by children when addressing any older person, depending on their age. For example, the neighbours' five year old kid would call me "кака" since I'm only in my 20's. Is this common with any other Slavic languages? Also, are there words for older siblings in any of them?

Thank you!

 

[Maja]

заврян зет - a man who lives in the house of his parents-in-law Jß not sure if this isn’t only used as a joke, since the man is not supposed to live with his wife’s family

Yeah, we also have the term "prizetko/призетко" for a man who lives with wife's family, but it can be a bit offensive.

The terms батко, кака, чичо, леля, баба, дядо are also used by children when addressing any older person, depending on their age. For example, the neighbours' five year old kid would call me "кака" since I'm only in my 20's. Is this common with any other Slavic languages?

Well in Serbian, children address adult men as "čika/чика" and women as "teta/тета". They can also call old men "deka/дека" and old women "baka/бака" but it is to be avoided since you never know if someone would get offended (especially women )

Also, are there words for older siblings in any of them?

No, we just say for brother: "stariji/старији" (older) аnd "mlađi/млађи"; for sister "starija/старијa" and "mlađa/млађa".

punac - wife's father
punica - wife's mother

Yeah, I know this expression !!!

šogor - spouse's brother/sister's husband -> brother in law
šogorica - spouse's sister/brother's wife -> sister in law

This, however, I never heard of .

nećak - son of your sibbling/spouse's sibbling
nećaka - daughter of your sibbling/spous'es sibbling
bratić - son of your parent's sibbling
sestrična - daughter of your parent's sibbling

We use them too:
bratanac/братанац - brother's son
bratanica/братаница - brother's daughter
sestrić/сестрић - sister's son
sestričina/сестричина - sister's daughter.

 

[Maja]

Thank you all for your kind replies. I know the posts were rather long ...
I have to say that my presumption, which was the reason to start this thread in the first place, have confirmed. A lot of genealogical vocabulary is similar in many of the Slavic languages, so it is safe to say that it must all come from Proto-Slavic.

POZDRAV!

 

[Branko1970]

Serbs and their ancestors
0. Sin, cerka ... ... ... ... Children
1. Otac, majka ... ... ... ... Parentss
3. Pradeda, prababa ... ... .. Great parents
4. Chukundeda, Chukunbaba ... .Next older generation
5. Navrdeda, navrbaba ... .... Next older generation
6. Kurdjel, kurdjela ... ... ... Next older generation
7. Askurdjel, askurdjela ... . Next older generation
8. Kurdjun, kurdjuna ... ... . Next older generation
9. Kurlebalo, kurlebala ... ... Next older generation
10 Sukurdol, sukurdola ... .. Next older generation
11 Sudepach, sudepacha ... Next older generation
12 Pardjupan, pardjupana ... Next older generation
13 Ozhmikura, ozhmikurka ... Next older generation
14 Kurajber, kurajbera ... ... Next older generation
15 Sajkatava, sajkatavka ... Next older generation
16 Beli orao, bela orlica ... .. Next older generation
16 Beli orao, bela orlica ... .. Next older generation

 

[dudasd]

Maja omitted an important information - that the older variant of "svastika" is svast (and the older: svast' ), of the same origin as svak (svojak).

Also, I don't expect to see "pašenog" in other Slavic languages, because it's pure Turkish word (bacanak).

 

[skye]

I noticed something interesting in how speakers of my dialect sometimes refer to people outside the immediate family. They hardly use anything but son, daughter, sister, brother, mother and father. Her niece becomes her sister's daughter and even his grandson becomes his son's son. I see that it usually happens when people are trying to explain some very complicated relations between others and I guess it's just easier to follow the train of thought that way.

 

[Mac_Linguist]

Well in Serbian, children address adult men as "čika/чика" and women as "teta/тета". They can also call old men "deka/дека" and old women "baka/бака" but it is to be avoided since you never know if someone would get offended (especially women )

This is also common in Macedonia. Adult men refer to older women as "mother" (мајко!).