ах
ax[äχ]Cyrillic
In Mongolian, the English word 'brother' is expressed using different terms depending on whether the sibling is older or younger. ах (ax). Wiktionary also lists дүү (düü).
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mongolian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ах | ax | [äχ] (narrow) | Cyrillic |
| дүү | düü | /tuː/ | Cyrillic |
The term ах specifically refers to an older brother. It is also frequently used as a respectful way to address or refer to a male peer who is slightly older than you, regardless of biological relation. The term дүү refers to a younger sibling of any gender, but when used in the context of a male, it means younger brother.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which uses 'brother' for any male sibling, Mongolian distinguishes between older and younger siblings. Use ах for an older brother and дүү for a younger brother (or a younger sibling of any gender).
How do you pronounce it?
ax
When do people say it?
Because ах is used for slightly older male peers, it serves a social function beyond biological kinship to show respect.
Did you know?
- The word ах shares a common historical root with the Turkish word ağa, which is often used to denote a lord or a prominent person.
- In Mongolian culture the distinction between ах and дүү is so fundamental that it dictates the level of politeness used in a conversation.
Examples in context
- Миний ах их сайн хүн.My older brother is a very good person.This sentence is useful for describing the character of an ах.Tatoeba #1252133 by altaar, translation #1873538 by CM
- Тэр хүн миний дүү.That person is my sister (or my brother in a case of male person).This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a дүү.
- Энэ бол миний ах.This is my brother.This sentence is useful for a simple introduction of an ах.Tatoeba #9757717 by Alkrasnov, translation #463308 by lukaszpp
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Erdenegombo introduces her older brother to Tomor.
- Эрдэнэгомбо ErdenegomboЭнэ миний ах.Ene minii akh.This is my brother.
- Төмөр TumurСайн байна ахт. Таныг хэнийг гэдэг вэ?Sain baina akht. Tanyg kheniig gedeg ve?Hello, brother. What is your name?
- Эрдэнэгомбо ErdenegomboТэр ах маань их аядуу хүн.Ter akh maan ikh ayaduu khün.My brother is a very gentle person.
- Төмөр TumurУулзсандаа баяртай байна.Uulzsandaa bayartai baina.I am glad to meet him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries ах, дүү, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ах, дүү, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
