Ways to say it
| Bengali | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| বোন | bōn | /bon/ |
| আপা | apa | /apa/ |
| বুবু | bubu |
The word বোন is the standard, neutral term for 'sister' used in most contexts. In Bengali, the word বোন is used for both elder and younger sisters unless a specific age-related term like আপা or বুবু is used.
Which one should you use?
The word আপা is a polite way to address or refer to an elder sister or an older female peer. The word বুবু is an informal or affectionate term for an elder sister, common in many households.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
আপা is a polite way to address or refer to an elder sister or an older female peer, whereas বুবু is an informal or affectionate term for an elder sister, common in many households.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of বোন is /bon/.
When do people say it?
Didi is commonly used informally when addressing an older sister or someone close to you.
Did you know?
- While বোন is the biological term, many Bengali speakers use kinship terms like আপা to address total strangers, such as a female shopkeeper or a taxi driver, as a sign of respect.
- The word আপা is a linguistic traveler, having been borrowed from Turkic languages to describe an elder female or sister.
- Because Bengali uses specific terms for age hierarchy, calling an elder sister by her name without a title like আপা or বুবু can often be perceived as rude or overly blunt.
Examples in context
- এটা আমার ছোটো বোন।This is my younger sister.This sentence is useful for introducing a younger sister using বোন.Tatoeba #5589891 by tanay, translation #3378980 by boosure
- এই হচ্ছে টমের বোন।This is Tom's sister.This sentence shows how to identify someone as Tom's sister using বোন.Tatoeba #5694517 by tanay, translation #5586319 by CK
- আপনি আপনার বোনের মতো অত সকালে ঘুম থেকে ওঠেন না।You don't get up as early as your sister.This sentence compares someone's habits to their sister using বোন.Tatoeba #13046439 by robingaspi, translation #16742 by Swift
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anirban and Ishani are looking at a family photograph.
- ইশানি Ishaniএই মেয়েটি কে?Ei meyeti ke?Who is this girl?
- অনির্বাণ Anirbanও আমার বড় বোন।O amar boro bon.She is my elder sister.
- ইশানি Ishaniসে কি তোমার সাথে থাকে?Se ki tomar sathe thake?Does she live with you?
- অনির্বাণ Anirbanনা, আমার বোন অন্য শহরে থাকে।Na, amar bon onno shohore thake.No, my sister lives in another city.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries বোন, আপা, বুবু, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries আপা, বোন, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
