Family Vocabulary in Algerian Arabic

Jan 31

Written By Mona

Family is a big part of Algerian culture! In this lesson, you’ll learn all the most important family terms and more. These terms will help you talk about your family and understand others better. Let’s get started!

1_ Nuclear Family

To describe age difference between brothers and sisters, we say:

a_Younger (صغر_s’ghar) / Older (كبر_k’bar)

Example:

عندي خويا صغر منّي وختي كبر منّي

/3andi: kouya: s’ghar minni: w kh’ti: k’ba:r minni:/

I have a younger brother and an older sister

b_The youngest (الصغير، الصغيرة_esghi:r M,esghi:ra F) / The oldest (الكبير، الكبيرة_lekbi:r M,lekbi:ra F)

Example:

ختي لكبيرة طبيبة وخويا الصغير طالب

/kh’ti: lekbi:ra t’bi:ba w kouya: esghi:r ta:lib/

My oldest sister is a doctor and my youngest brother is a student

2_ Extended Family

Note:

a_When grandparents talk about their grandchildren, they usually use the expressions: the son/daughter (وليد،بن /بنت) of my son/daughter (وليدي،بني /بنتي) rather than using the term grandchild (حفيد)

b_ (خالي/ خالتي) are used to refer to the siblings of the mother, whereas (عمّي/ عمتي) are used to refer to the siblings of the father

3_ In-laws