Extended Family in Nepali Transliteration: Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts
For extended family in Nepali transliteration, use the forms for grandfather, grandmother, maternal uncle, paternal uncle, and paternal aunt. The set also includes complete sentences for identifying a grandfather, asking where a grandmother is, and reporting that a maternal uncle came. Keep labels separate from full statements.
Start with these expressions
| English | Transliteration | Native script |
|---|---|---|
| Grandfather | hajurbuwa | हजुरबुवा |
| Grandmother | hajurama | हजुरआमा |
| Maternal uncle | mama | मामा |
| Paternal uncle | kaka | काका |
| Paternal aunt | phupu | फुपू |
| This is my grandfather. | yo mero hajurbuwa hunuhunchha. | यो मेरो हजुरबुवा हुनुहुन्छ। |
| Where is grandmother? | hajurama kaha hunuhunchha? | हजुरआमा कहाँ हुनुहुन्छ? |
| Maternal uncle came. | mama aaunubhayo. | मामा आउनुभयो। |
Choose the family label, then choose the sentence
The most useful distinction is between a kinship label and a complete sentence. The entries for grandfather, grandmother, maternal uncle, paternal uncle, and paternal aunt name relationships only. The other three entries express a whole situation: identifying a grandfather, asking where a grandmother is, or reporting that a maternal uncle came. In practice, use a label when recognising or naming the person; use a sentence when you need to identify someone, ask about their location, or describe an event.
Family side matters particularly for the uncle and aunt terms. The dictionary passage supports the maternal-uncle meaning and gives an example involving elder and younger uncles. [1] The paternal-uncle form should not be treated as a universal word for every uncle: the cited entry specifically describes a father’s younger brother and also records another kinship or address use. [2] The paternal-aunt form identifies a father’s sister, including an older or younger sister. [3] This makes “uncle” an unsafe shortcut when you are deciding which label to use. First identify whether the relationship is through the mother or father, then decide whether you need a label or a complete sentence.
[1] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
[2] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
[3] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
Try it
You are introducing your mother’s brother to a relative. Which Nepali entry gives the relationship label you need?
Choose your answer before reading on.
Check your answer:
Use expression 3 in the table above.
Choose the maternal-uncle entry because the relationship is defined through the mother’s side. The scenario asks for a person label, not a complete report about an arrival or another event; the dictionary passage also supports this meaning. [1]
Practise two decisions with each entry: identify the relative’s family side, then ask whether you are naming the person or saying something about what happened. This prevents a standalone kinship word from being mistaken for a complete sentence.
Practise speaking with Bhol. Learn words and sentences written in English letters.
