Extended Family
10 words · ~13 min
Extended family members including grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Arabic distinguishes between paternal uncle ('amm) and maternal uncle (khal), and similarly for aunts.
Arabic has distinct words for paternal vs. maternal relatives because lineage and tribal identity traditionally pass through the father's side. However, the maternal uncle (khal) holds a special place of affection in Arab culture.
Lesson overview
Extended Family is a level A1 lesson of 10 words: 6 nouns and 4 phrases. Its words come from 3 Arabic roots, listed below with links to each root family.
- Builds on: Immediate Family (A1)
- Leads to: Marriage & Relationships (A1)
Word list
| Arabic | Meaning | Type | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
جَدّ jadd | grandfather | noun | ج-د-د |
جَدَّة jadda | grandmother | noun | ج-د-د |
عَمّ ʿamm | uncle (paternal) | noun | ع-م-م |
عَمَّة ʿamma | aunt (paternal) | noun | ع-م-م |
خَال khāl | uncle (maternal) | noun | خ-و-ل |
خَالَة khāla | aunt (maternal) | noun | خ-و-ل |
اِبْنُ عَمّ ibnu ʿamm | cousin (paternal, male) | phrase | ب-ن-ي / ع-م-م |
بِنْتُ عَمّ bintu ʿamm | cousin (paternal, female) | phrase | ب-ن-ي / ع-م-م |
اِبْنُ خَال ibnu khāl | cousin (maternal, male) | phrase | ب-ن-ي / خ-و-ل |
اِبْنُ أَخ ibnu akh | nephew (brother's son) | phrase | ب-ن-ي / أ-خ-و |
Themes these words belong to: Family (10), Basics (10)
Sample word cards
Exercises and spaced review for all 10 words
"Extended Family" is one of 144 vocabulary lessons in Fahm Premium, each with guided exercises and spaced-repetition review. The first 10 lessons are free to try.
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