ті́тка
títkafeminine
The Ukrainian word for aunt is ті́тка (títka). Wiktionary also lists ву́йчина (vújčyna) and тьо́тя (tʹótja).
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ті́тка | títka | feminine | |
| ву́йчина | vújčyna | ||
| тьо́тя | tʹótja | feminine | |
| цьоця | cʹocja | [ˈt͡sʲɔt͡sʲɐ] (narrow) | feminine |
| ву́йна | vújna | feminine | |
| тета | teta | [ˈtɛtɐ] (narrow) | feminine |
| цьо́тка | cʹótka | feminine | |
| вуянка | vujanka | feminine | |
| стри́йна | strýjna | feminine |
The term is used to refer to a parent's sister or a sister-in-law. While ті́тка is a standard term, тьо́тя is a common colloquial form used affectionately within families or by children to address adult women warmly.
Which one should you use?
ті́тка is a neutral term that can refer to both blood relatives and sisters-in-law. In contrast, стри́йна is used specifically to denote an aunt by marriage (a sister-in-law). The form тьо́тя is the more common, affectionate version used in family contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive singular form of тьо́тя is тьо́ти, which is used to mean "of the aunt".
How do you pronounce it?
títka
Did you know?
- The word тьо́тя is so common in casual speech that it is often used as a generic, slightly patronizing way to address any older woman on the street, much like 'auntie' in some English dialects.
- The word цьоця is a regional variation of 'aunt' that shares its roots with the Polish word ciocia and Belarusian цёця.
- In some Ukrainian dialects, especially in Western regions, you may hear the term тета used to refer to an aunt.
Example sentences for Ukrainian are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries цьоця, тета, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries цьоця, CC BY-SA 4.0.
