Odia Transliteration Guide: Immediate Family
For immediate-family Odia, use the Roman forms for mother, father, sister, and brother. Treat “my sister” and “my brother” as possessive noun phrases, not complete statements. When identifying someone or describing where a parent is, choose a supplied full sentence. Check the relationship and context before relying on one English gloss.
Start with these expressions
| English | Transliteration | Native script |
|---|---|---|
| Mother | maa | ମାଆ |
| Father | bapa | ବାପା |
| Sister | bhauni | ଭଉଣୀ |
| Brother | bhai | ଭାଇ |
| My sister | mora bhauni | ମୋର ଭଉଣୀ |
| My brother | mora bhai | ମୋର ଭାଇ |
| My mother is at home. | mora maa ghare achhanti. | ମୋର ମାଆ ଘରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି। |
| This is my sister. | e mora bhauni. | ଏ ମୋର ଭଉଣୀ। |
Name the relationship, or make a statement
Use the single-word entries when you are naming a family relationship: mother, father, sister, or brother. Use the possessive entries when you mean a relationship connected to you, such as “my sister” or “my brother.” These are noun phrases: they identify someone, but they do not themselves say what is happening.
For a family photograph, choose the complete sentence meaning “This is my sister.” For a home update, choose the complete sentence meaning “My mother is at home.” The practical test is simple: if your English ends at a relationship label, use a noun or possessive phrase; if it identifies someone or adds information about them, use a full sentence.
Keep the English glosses tied to context. The dictionary passage for the mother entry records additional respectful and affectionate uses [1]. The father passage records a regional use for paternal grandfather [2], while the sister passage also records cousin-sister and a same-age form of address [3]. These are documented meanings, not a reason to assume one gloss fits every household or situation.
[1] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
[2] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
[3] Source: dsal.uchicago.edu.
Try it
You are showing a family photograph and want to say “This is my sister.” Which supplied entry should you choose?
Choose your answer before reading on.
Check your answer:
Use expression 8 in the table above.
Choose the entry whose English meaning is a complete identification sentence. The shorter possessive expression only labels the relationship; it does not identify the person as “this” person.
Practise aloud by deciding first whether you are naming a relationship or making a complete statement, then select the matching supplied entry.
Practise speaking with Bhol. Learn words and sentences written in English letters.
