كَنَّة
kannafeminine
The Arabic word for daughter-in-law is كَنَّة (kanna). Wiktionary also lists زَوْجَة اَلاِبْن (zawjat al-ibn).
Meaning: wife of one's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| كَنَّة | kanna | feminine |
| زَوْجَة اَلاِبْن | zawjat al-ibn | feminine |
In Arabic, you can refer to a daughter-in-law using either the single noun كَنَّة or the descriptive phrase زَوْجَة اَلاِبْن.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase زَوْجَة اَلاِبْن literally means wife of the son.
Which one should you use?
كَنَّة is a single noun specifically meaning daughter-in-law, whereas زَوْجَة اَلاِبْن is a descriptive phrase that translates to 'the wife of the son'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
كَنَّة is the standard, concise term used in both formal and everyday Arabic. The phrase Zawjat ibni is a formal way to say daughter-in-law, translating to 'the wife of my son'.
How do you pronounce it?
kanna
Did you know?
- The word كَنَّة shares a linguistic root with words related to 'covering' or 'concealing', subtly implying a woman who enters and becomes part of the domestic privacy of a new home.
- While كَنَّة refers to a daughter-in-law, the word for mother-in-law, حَمَاة, is often used in Arabic pop culture and soap operas to depict a stereotypical, overbearing character.
- Because the term كَنَّة focuses on the female's role in the family, there is no direct single-word equivalent for 'son-in-law' that carries the same exact linguistic weight in many dialects.
Examples in context
- هِيَ كَنَّةٌ لَطِيفَةٌ جِدًّا.hiya kannatun latifatun jiddan.She is a very kind daughter-in-law.
- أَيْنَ كَنَّةُ عَمِّي؟ayna kannatu ammi?Where is my uncle's daughter-in-law?
Example conversation
Ziyad and Maryam are talking about a family wedding.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ تَعْرِفِينَ كَنَّةَ أَخِي؟hal ta'rifina kannata akhi?Do you know my brother's daughter-in-law?
- مريم Maryamنَعَمْ، هِيَ اِمْرَأَةٌ رَائِعَةٌ.na'am, hiya imra'atun ra'i'a.Yes, she is a wonderful woman.
- زياد Ziadأَتَمَنَّى أَنْ نَلْتَقِيَ بِهَا.atamanna an naltaqiya biha.I hope we can meet her.
- مريم Maryamسَنَلْتَقِي بِهَا فِي الْحَفْلِ.sanaltaqi biha fil-hafli.We will meet her at the party.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daughter-in-law” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
