Punjabi family words: every relative has a name
English makes do with "uncle". Punjabi has a different word for your father's younger brother (chacha), his elder brother (taiaa), your mother's brother (mama), her sister's husband (masar), and your father's sister's husband (phupphar), and using the right one tells everyone exactly how you are related. This page is the whole map, with audio for every word.
The family tree, word by word
Respectful; mummy and bebe are the everyday words in many homes.
Respectful; papa and daddy are common at home.
An elder brother is often called bhaji or veer ji as a term of respect.
An elder sister is often called bhainji.
Also what elders warmly call any child, including daughters.
Her husband is your nana.
Where you go for the summer. A word so loved it has songs about it.
Bhaji, biji, and the respect words
Some of the most-heard family words are terms of respect rather than kinship labels. Bhaji (or veer ji) is what you call an elder brother, and by extension almost any older man you are friendly with; bhainji works the same way for an elder sister. Biji or bebe is a warm word for mother or grandmother in many families. And ji attaches to nearly anything to add respect: mata ji, papa ji, haan ji. If you grew up in a Punjabi home, these were probably the first words you ever heard.
Why the precision exists
The kinship system maps the joint family: which side of the family someone is on, and whether they are older than your parent, changes your obligations to them and theirs to you. So the language encodes it. It also means that when someone says their masi is visiting, a Punjabi listener knows instantly it is their mother's sister, no explanation needed.
More word lists and guides: greetings · love and thanks · Punjabi for kids · the heritage speaker guide
Hear every word, then say it back. The audio on this page is the same audio in the Ladoo app, where every lesson is free.