English has one word, uncle, for five different people. These languages have a word for each: whose side, older or younger, by blood or by marriage.
Relative
Hindi
Urdu
Punjabi
Father's elder brother
Tau (ताऊ)
Taya (تایا)
Taaya (ਤਾਇਆ)
Father's elder brother's wife
Tai (ताई)
Tayi (تائی)
Taai (ਤਾਈ)
Father's younger brother
Chacha (चाचा)
Chacha (چچا)
Chacha (ਚਾਚਾ)
Father's younger brother's wife
Chachi (चाची)
Chachi (چچی)
Chachi (ਚਾਚੀ)
Father's sister
Bua (बुआ)
Phuphi (پھوپھی)
Bhua (ਭੂਆ)
Father's sister's husband
Fufa (फूफा)
Phupha (پھوپھا)
Phuphad (ਫੁੱਫੜ)
Mother's brother
Mama (मामा)
Mamoon (ماموں)
Mama (ਮਾਮਾ)
Mother's brother's wife
Mami (मामी)
Mumani (ممانی)
Mami (ਮਾਮੀ)
Mother's sister
Mausi (मौसी)
Khala (خالہ)
Maasi (ਮਾਸੀ)
Mother's sister's husband
Mausa (मौसा)
Khalu (خالو)
Maasad (ਮਾਸੜ)
Father's father
Dada (दादा)
Dada (دادا)
Dada (ਦਾਦਾ)
Father's mother
Dadi (दादी)
Dadi (دادی)
Dadi (ਦਾਦੀ)
Mother's father
Nana (नाना)
Nana (نانا)
Nana (ਨਾਨਾ)
Mother's mother
Nani (नानी)
Nani (نانی)
Nani (ਨਾਨੀ)
Elder brother's wife
Bhabhi (भाभी)
Bhabhi (بھابھی)
Bharjaai (ਭਰਜਾਈ)
Sister's husband
Jija (जीजा)
Behnoi (بہنوئی)
Jija (ਜੀਜਾ)
Husband's elder brother
Jeth (जेठ)
Jeth (جیٹھ)
Jeth (ਜੇਠ)
Husband's younger brother
Devar (देवर)
Dewar (دیور)
Diyor (ਦਿਓਰ)
Husband's sister
Nanad (ननद)
Nand (نند)
Nanaan (ਨਨਾਣ)
Wife's brother
Saala (साला)
Saala (سالا)
Saala (ਸਾਲਾ)
Wife's sister
Saali (साली)
Saali (سالی)
Saali (ਸਾਲੀ)
Son's wife
Bahu (बहू)
Bahu (بہو)
Nooh (ਨੂੰਹ)
Daughter's husband
Damad (दामाद)
Damad (داماد)
Jawaai (ਜਵਾਈ)
Son's or daughter's father-in-law
Samdhi (समधी)
Samdhi (سمدھی)
Kurham (ਕੁੜਮ)
Common forms; spellings and words vary by region and family.
Why are there so many words?
Because the relationship matters, not just the generation. Your father's brothers and your mother's brothers had different places in a joint household, and an elder brother had a different place from a younger one, so each has his own name. The same goes for in-laws: a bride had a name for each of her husband's brothers and sisters.
Keeping the names in the family
For children growing up abroad, these words are often the first thing to go. A family tree that shows who is chacha and who is mama, with their photographs, keeps them. In a Kumbaa archive anyone can open a relative and see how they're related, and "How are we related?" spells out the path ("your father's younger brother") for any two people. See also Kumbaa for families living abroad.
For cousins and the "removed" relationships English does have words for, use the relationship calculator: a first cousin once removed is your cousin's child.
FAQ
Questions
What is the difference between chacha and mama?
Chacha is your father's younger brother; mama is your mother's brother. English calls both 'uncle'.
What is tau or taya?
Your father's elder brother. His wife is tai (Hindi) or tayi (Urdu).
What is the difference between bua and mausi?
Bua (phuphi in Urdu) is your father's sister; mausi (khala in Urdu) is your mother's sister.
What do you call your husband's younger brother?
Devar in Hindi and Punjabi (diyor), dewar in Urdu. His elder brother is jeth.
Do the names vary by region?
Yes. Spellings and some words change between regions and families; these are the common ones. Many families also add respect words like ji.