آنٹی
āṇṭīgeneral, polite address
Urdu in Pakistan has a separate word for each kind of aunt. A mother's sister is خالہ (khālā) and a father's sister is پھوپھی (phūphī). آنٹی (āṇṭī) is the general word for an older woman.
Meaning: sister or sister-in-law of a parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| آنٹی | āṇṭī | general, polite address |
| خالہ | khālā | mother's sister |
| پھوپھی | phūphī | father's sister |
Children and young people say آنٹی (āṇṭī) to friends' mothers and neighbors who are not relatives. For real relatives the exact word is expected.
Which one should you use?
The wife of a father's brother is چچی (chachī) and the wife of a mother's brother is ممانی (mumānī). English "aunt" covers all four.
Did you know?
- The ending -ī in چچی and ممانی marks the wife of an uncle, while the uncle himself is چچا (chachā) or ماموں (māmūṅ).
Examples in context
- آنٹی، آپ کیسی ہیں؟Āṇṭī, āp kaisī haiṅ?Aunty, how are you?
- میری خالہ کراچی میں رہتی ہیں۔Merī khālā Karāchī meṅ rahtī haiṅ.My maternal aunt lives in Karachi.
- پھوپھی ہمارے گھر آئی ہیں۔Phūphī hamāre ghar āʾī haiṅ.My paternal aunt has come to our house.
Example conversation
Ayesha greets her mother's sister Khala Najma at the door of their house in Karachi.
- Ayeshaالسلام علیکم خالہ۔Assalāmu ʿalaikum khālā.Peace be upon you, aunt.
- Khala Najmaوعلیکم السلام بیٹا، کیسی ہو؟Waʿalaikum assalām beṭā, kaisī ho?And upon you peace, dear, how are you?
- Ayeshaمیں ٹھیک ہوں، آپ اندر آئیے۔Maiṅ ṭhīk hūṅ, āp andar āʾiye.I am fine, please come in.
- Khala Najmaشکریہ بیٹا۔Shukriya beṭā.Thank you, dear.
