Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عَمّ | ʕamm | masculine |
| خَال | ḵāl | masculine |
| زَوْجُ العَمّة | zawju l-ʕamma | masculine |
| زَوْجُ الخالة | zawju l-ḵāla | masculine |
In Arabic, the term for uncle is specific to whether the person is related to the father or the mother. Use عَمّ for a paternal uncle and خَال for a maternal uncle. If you are referring to an uncle by marriage, specific phrases are used to clarify the relationship through the aunt.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase زَوْجُ العَمّة literally means 'husband of the paternal aunt' and is used to refer to an uncle by marriage on the father's side. The phrase زَوْجُ الخالة literally means 'husband of the maternal aunt' and is used to refer to an uncle by marriage on the mother's side.
Which one should you use?
عَمّ refers specifically to a father's brother, while خَال refers specifically to a mother's brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'my uncle', you can add the suffix ـي to the end of the word to create عَمّي.
How do you pronounce it?
ʕamm
Did you know?
- The word خَال also means 'mole' or 'beauty spot' in Arabic.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, you might call an older man عَمّ even if you are not related to him, as a sign of respect and social closeness.
- The word خَال (maternal uncle) is also used in some Arabic dialects to refer to a person who is very dear or close to one's heart, often in a poetic sense.
Examples in context
- عَمّي أعطاني هذه السّاعة.My uncle gave me this watch.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form عَمّ in a sentence.Tatoeba #3051665 by altusi, translation #2079993 by CK
- أَيُّهَا العَمُّOh, uncle
- مَرْحَبًا يَا عَمّوHello, Uncle!
- هذا عَمّي الطّيب.hadha ammī al-tayyib.This is my kind uncle.
Example conversation
Youssef and Nour are talking about their family tree.
- يوسف Youssefمن هو هذا الرجل في الصورة؟Man huwa hadha ar-rajulu fi as-sura?Who is this man in the photo?
- نور Nourهذا عَمّي، هو أخو والدي.Hadha 'ammi, huwa akhu walidi.This is my uncle, he is my father's brother.
- يوسف Youssefهل يسكن عَمّك في هذه المدينة؟Hal yaskunu 'ammuki fi hadhihi al-madina?Does your uncle live in this city?
- نور Nourلا، هو يسكن في القرية.La, huwa yaskunu fi al-qarya.No, he lives in the village.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
