मौसी
mausī/mɔː.siː/feminine
The Hindi word for aunt can vary depending on the specific relationship. The default form is मौसी (mausī). Wiktionary also lists ताई (tāī).
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| मौसी | mausī | /mɔː.siː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| ताई | tāī | /t̪ɑː.iː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
In Hindi, the term for aunt is highly specific to the side of the family. मौसी refers specifically to a maternal aunt, or a mother's sister. Colloquially in many parts of India, मौसी is also used to address any older woman, even if she is not a biological relative.
Which one should you use?
The forms used depend on the specific kinship tie: मौसी is used for a mother's sister, while ताई is used specifically for a father's elder sister. For a paternal aunt, you may also use Bua or Bhuaji.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is mausī (/mɔː.siː/). It has 2 syllables.
When do people say it?
In many parts of India, it is common to use the term मौसी to address any older woman, regardless of whether there is a biological connection.
Did you know?
- The word मौसी is a linguistic cousin of the English word 'mother'. Both descend from the Proto-Indo-European root *méh₂tēr.
- Adding the suffix -जी to these words, such as मौसी-जी or ताई-जी, transforms the word from a simple label into a mark of deep respect.
- In some traditional Indian households, a father's brother's wife is also called an aunt, but she is addressed as चाची or ताई depending on the husband's age.
Examples in context
- मेरी मौसी बहुत अच्छी हैं।merī mausī bahut accahī haiṃ.My aunt is very kind.
- मौसी आज घर आएँगी।mausī āj ghar āeṅgī.Aunt will come home today.
- वह मेरी मौसी की बेटी है।vah merī mausī kī beṭī hai.She is my aunt's daughter.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about family members at a cafe.
- नेहा Nehaक्या तुम्हारी मौसी दिल्ली में रहती हैं?kyā tumhārī mausī dillī meṃ rahtī haiṃ?Does your aunt live in Delhi?
- आदित्य Adityaनहीं, वे मुंबई में रहती हैं।nahīṃ, ve mumbaī meṃ rahtī haiṃ.No, she lives in Mumbai.
- नेहा Nehaवह बहुत अच्छी महिला हैं।vah bahut accahī mahilā haiṃ.She is a very nice woman.
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, वे बहुत प्यारी हैं।hāṃ, ve bahut pyārī haiṃ.Yes, she is very lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries मौसी, ताई, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ताई, मौसी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
