Kinship in Turkey: Family & Terms
Kinship in Turkey – the family and its terms
The family is the heart of Turkish society. The language alone shows this: whereas in German a single word for “uncle” is enough, Turkish distinguishes precisely whether he is on the father's or the mother's side. Anyone who knows these terms understands a great deal about how people live together – and is not surprised when even strangers are suddenly called “aunt” or “big brother”.
The immediate family
- Anne / Baba – mother / father
- Abla – older sister
- Ağabey (Abi) – older brother
- Kardeş – younger sibling (brother or sister)
- Anneanne / Babaanne – maternal / paternal grandmother
- Dede – grandfather
- Torun – grandchild
Uncles and aunts – depending on the side
- Amca – father's brother
- Dayı – mother's brother
- Hala – father's sister
- Teyze – mother's sister
- Yenge – woman by marriage: uncle's wife or brother's wife
- Enişte – man by marriage: aunt's husband or sister's husband
- Kuzen – cousin (male or female)
The in-laws
The last terms in particular show that in Turkey a wedding unites not just two people, but two families.
- Kayınvalide (colloquially Kaynana) – mother-in-law
- Kayınpeder – father-in-law
- Gelin – daughter-in-law, also the word for bride
- Damat – son-in-law and bridegroom
- Görümce – husband's sister
- Kayınbirader – wife's brother
- Baldız – wife's sister
- Bacanak – the husbands of two sisters in relation to each other
- Elti – the wives of two brothers in relation to each other
- Dünür – the parents of the bride and groom in relation to each other
Family words for strangers
On the street, in a shop or in a taxi, people like to address strangers with kinship terms: the young saleswoman becomes “Abla”, the waiter “Abi”, the elderly lady “Teyze” and the elderly gentleman “Amca”. This is polite and warm at the same time. A guest who says “Teşekkürler abla!” is almost always rewarded with a smile.
Family in everyday life
You can learn more about social life in our articles on customs and traditions and on gifts in Turkey.
- Older family members are greeted by kissing their hand and touching it to the forehead – especially on the holidays of Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı.
- On holidays people visit all their relatives. Children receive sweets or a little pocket money.
- Siblings remain closely connected throughout their lives. The eldest brother or eldest sister often bears responsibility for the younger ones.
- At weddings, circumcision celebrations and in times of mourning, the extended family is naturally there.
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