Family Words in Kannada: Elder and Younger Siblings and More
Kannada family vocabulary, including the separate words for elder and younger siblings and the relatives on the father's and mother's sides.
Kannada family words are precise: they distinguish elder from younger siblings and paternal from maternal relatives.
Immediate family
| English | Kannada | Roman |
|---|---|---|
| mother | ಅಮ್ಮ | amma |
| father | ಅಪ್ಪ | appa |
| elder brother | ಅಣ್ಣ | aṇṇa |
| younger brother | ತಮ್ಮ | tamma |
| elder sister | ಅಕ್ಕ | akka |
| younger sister | ತಂಗಿ | taṅgi |
| son | ಮಗ | maga |
| daughter | ಮಗಳು | magaḷu |
| husband | ಗಂಡ | gaṇḍa |
| wife | ಹೆಂಡತಿ | heṇḍati |
Extended family
| English | Kannada |
|---|---|
| grandfather | ಅಜ್ಜ |
| grandmother | ಅಜ್ಜಿ |
| father's younger brother | ಚಿಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ |
| father's elder brother | ದೊಡ್ಡಪ್ಪ |
| mother's brother | ಮಾವ |
| mother's younger sister | ಚಿಕ್ಕಮ್ಮ |
| mother's elder sister | ದೊಡ್ಡಮ್ಮ |
| relatives | ಸಂಬಂಧಿಕರು |
ಚಿಕ್ಕ means "small/younger" and ದೊಡ್ಡ means "big/elder", which is how the younger and elder relatives are distinguished.
Why the distinction?
Age order and side of the family matter in Kannada culture, so the language gives each relation its own word.
Using family words
- ನನ್ನ ಅಮ್ಮ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕಿ. — My mother is a teacher.
- ನನಗೆ ಒಬ್ಬ ಅಣ್ಣ ಮತ್ತು ಒಬ್ಬ ತಂಗಿ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ. — I have an elder brother and a younger sister.
- ಅಜ್ಜ-ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ. — My grandparents live in the village.
Addressing people
Kannada speakers often call people outside the family by these words as a mark of respect:
- ಅಣ್ಣ — for an older man
- ಅಕ್ಕ — for an older woman
- ತಮ್ಮ / ತಂಗಿ — for a younger man or woman
For example, a shop customer might call a shopkeeper ಅಣ್ಣ.
Tips
- Learn elder/younger pairs together.
- Learn ಚಿಕ್ಕ and ದೊಡ್ಡ as the clue.
- Use the dictionary to check terms.
English Kannada Dictionary
Offline English–Kannada dictionary with meanings in proper Kannada script
More about English Kannada Dictionary
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