Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| خالتي | khalti | my maternal aunt, also 'auntie' to any older woman |
| عمتي | ammti | my paternal aunt |
خالتي is for a mother's sister, and عمتي is for a father's sister, as in خالتي جاية اليوم, 'my aunt, my mother's sister, is coming today'. Moroccans also use خالتي loosely to address any older woman politely.
What does it mean word for word?
خالتي comes from خال (khal), 'maternal uncle', with ي added for 'my'. عمتي comes from عم (3am), 'paternal uncle'.
Which one should you use?
Darija keeps the two sides of the family distinct. Say خالتي for your mother's sister and عمتي for your father's sister, they are not interchangeable.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are everyday words. خالتي also becomes a polite, friendly way to address a woman older than you, even a stranger, such as a shopkeeper.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The distinction between خالتي and عمتي is used the same way across Morocco and across most Arabic dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
Drop the ي for someone else's aunt: خالة (khala) alone means 'a maternal aunt' in general, without specifying whose.
How do you pronounce it?
The first sound in خالتي is the rough kh, made at the back of the throat, followed by a long a: khal-ti.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes use a single generic word for 'aunt' as in English. In Darija, mixing up خالتي and عمتي describes the wrong side of the family.
When do people say it?
Calling an older unrelated woman خالتي as a mark of respect is common in Morocco, in shops, buses or the street, similar to saying 'auntie' in some English-speaking communities.
Did you know?
- Darija, like Standard Arabic, has no single word for 'aunt', instead naming the mother's side and the father's side with different roots.
- Addressing an older unrelated woman as خالتي is a common sign of respect in Morocco, extending family language to strangers.
Examples in context
- خالتي جاية اليوم من الدار البيضاء.khalti jaya lyoum men ddar lbayda.My aunt is coming today from Casablanca.
- عمتي كاتسكن حدا بابا.ammti kattsken hda baba.My aunt lives close to my father.
- سمح لي خالتي، فين كاين السوق؟smehli khalti, fin kayn ssuq?Excuse me, auntie, where is the market?
Example conversation
Nour tells her friend Salwa that her aunt is visiting for the weekend.
- Nourخالتي غادية تجي عندنا السيمانة هادي.khalti ghadya tji 3andna ssimana hadi.My aunt is coming to stay with us this week.
- Salwaخالتك ولا عمتك؟khaltek wla ammtek?Your maternal aunt or your paternal aunt?
- Nourخالتي، خت ماما.khalti, kht mama.My maternal aunt, my mom's sister.
- Salwaمزيان، نتلاقاو معاها إن شاء الله.mzyan, ntlaqaw m3aha inshallah.Nice, I hope to meet her.
