Russian Words Family Members

Family is very important in Russian culture.  Many families are composed of several generations living under one roof, often in compact apartments, and children can continue to live with their parents long into their twenties, thirties, and even forties. As a Russian learner, youll need to familiarize yourself with the different names used for all members of the group, including in-laws and extended family. Russian Word Translation Pronunciation Example Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ° mom MAmah ÐÅ"Ð °Ã ¼Ã °, Ã'  Ð ¿Ã'€Ð ¸Ã µÃ ·Ã ¶Ã °Ã'Ž Ð ·Ã °Ã ²Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° - Mom, I'm arriving tomorrow. Ð ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã ° dad PApah ПÐ °Ã ¿Ã °, Ã' Ã'‚Ð ¾ Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã ¹ Ð ´Ã'€Ã'Æ'Ð ³ ДÐ ¶Ã ¾Ã ½ - Dad, this is my friend John. Ð ±Ã °Ã ±Ã'Æ'Ã'ˆÐ ºÃ ° grandmother BAbushka ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã µÃ ¹ Ð ±Ã °Ã ±Ã'Æ'Ã'ˆÐ ºÃ µ Ð ´Ã µÃ ²Ã' Ã ½Ã ¾Ã' Ã'‚Ð ¾ Ð »Ã µÃ'‚ - My grandmother is 90 years old. Ð ´Ã µÃ ´Ã'Æ'Ã'ˆÐ ºÃ °/Ð ´Ã µÃ ´ grandfather DYEdushka/DYED ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹ Ð ´Ã µÃ ´Ã'Æ'Ã'ˆÐ ºÃ ° Ã' Ã'€Ð °Ã ¶Ã °Ã »Ã' Ã'  Ã'  Ã'„Ð °Ã'ˆÐ ¸Ã' Ã'‚Ð °Ã ¼Ã ¸ - My grandfather fought the Nazis. Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‚Ã'  aunt TYOtya ПÐ ¾Ã ·Ã ¾Ã ²Ã ¸ Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'Ž Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‚Ã'Ž, Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ¶Ã °Ã »Ã'Æ'Ð ¹Ã' Ã'‚Ð ° - Call your aunt, please. Ð ´Ã' Ã ´Ã'  uncle DYAdya ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹ Ð ´Ã' Ã ´Ã'  - Ð ¿Ã ¸Ã' Ã °Ã'‚Ð µÃ »Ã'Å' - My uncle is a writer. Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° sister sysTRA ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã'  Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° Ð ·Ã °Ã ½Ã ¸Ã ¼Ã °Ã µÃ'‚Ã' Ã' Ã ±Ã °Ã »Ã'Å'Ð ½Ã'‹Ð ¼Ã ¸ Ã'‚Ð °Ã ½Ã'†Ð °Ã ¼Ã ¸ - My sister does ballroom dancing. Ð ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚ brother BRAT ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹Ã ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚ Ð ¸Ã ³Ã'€Ð °Ã µÃ'‚ Ð ½Ã ° Ð ºÃ »Ã °Ã'€Ð ½Ã µÃ'‚Ð µ - My brother plays the clarinet. Ð ´Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã °Ã'  Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° cousin (female) dvaYUradnaya sysTRA ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã'  Ð ´Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã °Ã'  Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ·Ã ²Ã ¾Ã ½Ã ¸Ã »Ã ° Ð ² Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ½Ã µÃ ´Ã µÃ »Ã'Å'Ð ½Ã ¸Ã º - My cousin rang on Monday. Ð ´Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã'‹Ð ¹ Ð ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚ cousin (male) dvaYUradny BRAT Ð ¯ Ð µÃ ´Ã'Æ' Ð ² Ð ³Ã ¾Ã' Ã'‚Ð ¸ Ð º Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã µÃ ¼Ã'Æ' Ð ´Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã ¾Ã ¼Ã'Æ' Ð ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚Ã'Æ' - I am going to visit my cousin. Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã'‹Ð ¹ Ð ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚/Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã °Ã'  Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° second cousin male/second cousin female traYUradny BRAT/traYUradnaya sysTRA ОÐ ½Ã ¸ - Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã ¸ Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ´Ã ½Ã'‹Ð µ Ð ±Ã'€Ð °Ã'‚Ã'Å'Ã'  Ð ¸ Ã' Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'€Ã'‹ - These are my second cousins. Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‰Ð ° mother-in-law (wife's mother) TYOsha Ð ¯ Ð »Ã'ŽÐ ±Ã »Ã'Ž Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'Ž Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‰Ã'Æ' - I love my mother-in-law. Ã'‚Ð µÃ' Ã'‚Ã'Å' father-in-law (wife's father) TYEST' Ð £ Ð ¼Ã µÃ ½Ã'  Ã'…Ð ¾Ã'€Ð ¾Ã'ˆÐ ¸Ã µ Ð ¾Ã'‚Ð ½Ã ¾Ã'ˆÐ µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã'  Ã'  Ã'‚Ð µÃ' Ã'‚Ð µÃ ¼ - I have a good relationship with my father-in-law. Ã' Ã ²Ã µÃ ºÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ²Ã'Å' mother-in-law (husband's mother) svyKROF' ÐÅ"Ã'‹ Ð µÃ ´Ã µÃ ¼ Ð º Ã' Ã ²Ã µÃ ºÃ'€Ð ¾Ã ²Ã ¸ - We are going to visit my mother-in-law. Ã' Ã ²Ã'‘Ð ºÃ'€ father-in-law (husband's father) SVYOkr ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹ Ã' Ã ²Ã'‘Ð ºÃ'€ Ð »Ã'ŽÐ ±Ã ¸Ã'‚ Ã'„Ã'Æ'Ã'‚Ð ±Ã ¾Ã » - My father-in-law loves soccer. Ã' Ã ½Ã ¾Ã'…Ð ° daughter-in-law (in relation to the mother-in-law) snaHA Ð ¯ Ð ¶Ã ´Ã'Æ' Ã' Ã ½Ã ¾Ã'…Ã'Æ' Ð ¸ Ã' Ã'‹Ð ½Ã ° - I'm waiting for my daughter-in-law and my son. Ð ·Ã' Ã'‚Ã'Å' son-in-law (both for mother-in-law and father-in-law) ZYAT' Ð Ã °Ã ´Ã ¾ Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ³Ã ¾Ã ²Ã ¾Ã'€Ð ¸Ã'‚Ã'Å' Ã'  Ð ·Ã' Ã'‚Ð µÃ ¼ - I should/I need to talk to my son-in-law. Ð ½Ã µÃ ²Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ð ºÃ ° daughter-in-law (in relation to the father-in-law); sister-in-law (brother's wife) nyVYESTka ÐÅ"Ã'‹ Ð µÃ ´Ã µÃ ¼ Ð ² Ð ¾Ã'‚Ð ¿Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã º Ã'  Ð ½Ã µÃ ²Ã µÃ' Ã'‚Ð ºÃ ¾Ã ¹ - We are going on holiday with my/our daughter-in-law/sister-in-law. Ð ·Ã ¾Ã »Ã ¾Ã ²Ã ºÃ ° sister-in-law (husband's sister) zaLOVka Ð £ Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã µÃ ¹ Ð ·Ã ¾Ã »Ã ¾Ã ²Ã ºÃ ¸ Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ¾Ã µ Ð ´Ã µÃ'‚Ð µÃ ¹ - My sister-in-law has three children. Ð ´Ã µÃ ²Ã µÃ'€Ã'Å' brother-in-law (husband's brother) DYEver' ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ¹ Ð ´Ã µÃ ²Ã µÃ'€Ã'Å' - Ã'ŽÃ'€Ð ¸Ã' Ã'‚ - My brother-in-law is a lawyer. Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã' Ã'‡Ð µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã'†Ð ° sister-in-law (wife's sister) svaYAchenitsa ÐÅ"Ð ½Ã µ Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã ·Ã ²Ã ¾Ã ½Ã ¸Ã »Ã ° Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã' Ã'‡Ð µÃ ½Ã ¸Ã'†Ð ° - My sister-in-law called me. Ã'ˆÃ'Æ'Ã'€Ð ¸Ã ½ brother-in-law (wife's brother) SHOOrin Ð £ Ã'ˆÃ'Æ'Ã'€Ð ¸Ã ½Ã ° Ð ¿Ã'€Ð ¾Ã ±Ã »Ã µÃ ¼Ã'‹ Ð ½Ã ° Ã'€Ð °Ã ±Ã ¾Ã'‚Ð µ - My brother-in-law is having issues at his work. Ã' Ã ²Ã °Ã'‚Ã'Å'Ã'  mother of daughter-in-law/son-in-law SVAT'ya Ðâ€"Ð °Ã ²Ã'‚Ã'€Ð ° Ð ¿Ã'€Ð ¸Ã µÃ ·Ã ¶Ã °Ã µÃ'‚ Ã' Ã ²Ã °Ã'‚Ã'Å'Ã'  - The mother of my daughter-in-law will arrive tomorrow. Ã' Ã ²Ã °Ã'‚ father of daughter-in-law/son-in-law svat Ð ¡Ã ²Ã °Ã'‚ Ð »Ã'ŽÐ ±Ã ¸Ã'‚ Ã'€Ã'‹Ð ±Ã °Ã'‡Ð ¸Ã'‚Ã'Å' - My daughter-in-law's father loves to go fishing. Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã' Ã º sibling-in-law (husband of a woman's sister) svaYAK Ðâ€"Ð ´Ã'€Ð °Ã ²Ã' Ã'‚Ð ²Ã'Æ'Ð ¹, Ã' Ã ²Ã ¾Ã' Ã º - Hello, brother. (as in 'you're family') Ð ºÃ'€Ã'‘Ã' Ã'‚Ð ½Ã'‹Ð µ/Ð ºÃ'€Ã'‘Ã' Ã'‚Ð ½Ã °Ã'  Ð ¼Ã °Ã'‚Ã'Å'/Ð ºÃ'€Ã'‘Ã' Ã'‚Ð ½Ã'‹Ð ¹ Ð ¾Ã'‚Ð µÃ'† godparents/godmother/godfather KRYOSnye/KRYOSnaya MAT'/KRYOSny aTYETS Ð ­Ã'‚Ð ¾ - Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã ¸ Ð ºÃ'€Ã'‘Ã' Ã'‚Ð ½Ã'‹Ð µ - These are my god-parents. Ð ºÃ'Æ'Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã ²Ã'Å'Ã' /Ð ºÃ'Æ'Ð ¼/Ð ºÃ'Æ'Ð ¼Ã ° godparents (in relation to all other relatives) KoomaVYA / KOOM / kooMA Ð  Ã'‡Ã'‚Ð ¾ Ð ´Ã'Æ'Ð ¼Ã °Ã'ŽÃ'‚ Ð ºÃ'Æ'Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã ²Ã'Å'Ã' ? - And what do the godparents think? Ð ¿Ã »Ã µÃ ¼Ã' Ã ½Ã ½Ã ¸Ã'†Ð ° niece plyMYAnitsa ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã'  Ð ¿Ã »Ã µÃ ¼Ã' Ã ½Ã ½Ã ¸Ã'†Ð ° Ð ¿Ã ¾Ã' Ã'‚Ã'Æ'Ð ¿Ã ¸Ã »Ã ° Ð ² Ã'Æ'Ð ½Ã ¸Ã ²Ã µÃ'€Ã' Ã ¸Ã'‚Ð µÃ'‚ - My niece has gotten into college. Ð ¿Ã »Ã µÃ ¼Ã' Ã ½Ã ½Ã ¸Ã º nephew plyMYAnnik ÐÅ"Ã'‹ Ð µÃ ´Ã µÃ ¼ Ã'  Ð ¿Ã »Ã µÃ ¼Ã' Ã ½Ã ½Ã ¸Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ¼ Ð ² ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã' Ã ºÃ ²Ã'Æ' - My nephew and I are going to Moscow together. How to Say Mom and Dad in Russian The most common way to address your parents in Russian is to say Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ° and Ð ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã °. You can also say Ð ¼Ã °Ã'‚Ã'Å' (MAT) - Mother, and  Ã ¾Ã'‚Ð µÃ'† (aTYEts) - Father, as well as Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ºÃ ° (MAmachka) - Mommy and Ð ¿Ã °Ã ¿Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ºÃ ° (PApachka) - Daddy. Example: ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã'  Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ºÃ ° - Ã' Ã °Ã ¼Ã °Ã'  Ð »Ã'Æ'Ã'‡Ã'ˆÐ °Ã' .Pronunciation: maYA MAmachka - SAmaya LOOCHshaya.Translation: My Mommy is the best. Example: Ð ¯ Ð ½Ã µ Ð ²Ã ¸Ã ¶Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã'Å' Ã'  Ð ¾Ã'‚Ã'†Ð ¾Ã ¼.Pronunciation: ya ny VYzhus satTSOMTranslation: I dont see my father. Diminutives for Family Members Diminutives are used a lot in Russian, and the names of family members are not an exception. Diminutives are formed by changing the ending of a word. Example: Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ° - Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã ¾Ã'‡Ð ºÃ ° - Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã'Æ'Ð »Ã'  - Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã'Æ'Ð »Ã µÃ'‡Ð ºÃ ° - Ð ¼Ã °Ã ¼Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã ¸Ã ºPronunciation: MAma - MAmachka - maMOOlya - maMOOlychka - maMOOsikTranslation: Mom - Mommy - diminutives of Mommy Example: Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‚Ã'  - Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‚Ã'Æ'Ã'ˆÐ ºÃ ° - Ã'‚Ã'‘Ã'‚Ð µÃ ½Ã'Å'Ð ºÃ °Pronunciation: TYOtya - TYOtushka - TYOtynkaTranslation: Aunt - Aunty - Aunty