Family Members

Learn close family, extended family and common possessive forms.

Reading the Latin spelling

This is a simplified learning transcription adapted from the source, not a phonetic alphabet. sh = ش, kh = خ, gh = غ, 3 = ع, and 7 = ح. The numbers represent sounds. Dotted ṣ, ṭ and ḍ mark emphatic consonants; doubled letters indicate a longer consonant. Regional pronunciation and spelling can vary.

Close family

• Woman / wife

  مرا

  mra

• Man / husband

  راجل

  rajl

• Girl / daughter

  بنت

  bnt

• Boy / son

  ولد

  wld

• Girls / daughters

  بنات

  bnat

• Boys / sons / children

  ولاد

  wlad

• The parents

  الوالدين

  l-walidin

• My brother

  خويا

  khuya

• Brothers / siblings

  خوت

  khut

• My sister

  ختي

  khti

• Sisters

  خواتات

  khwatat

Extended family

• In-law / in-laws

  نسيب / نساب

  nsib / nsab

• Stepson

  ربيب

  rbib

• Stepdaughter

  ربيبة

  rbiba

• Grandfather

  جدّ

  jdd

• Grandmother

  جدّة

  jdda

• Uncle (father’s brother)

  عمّ

  3mm

• Aunt (father’s sister)

  عمّة

  3mma

• Uncle (mother’s brother)

  خال

  khal

• Aunt (mother’s sister)

  خالة

  khala

• My nephew (my brother’s son)

  ولد خويا

  wld khuya

• My niece (my brother’s daughter)

  بنت خويا

  bnt khuya

• My nephew (my sister’s son)

  ولد ختي

  wld khti

• My niece (my sister’s daughter)

  بنت ختي

  bnt khti

• My male cousin (paternal uncle’s / aunt’s son)

  ولد عمي / ولد عمتي

  wld 3mmi / wld 3mmti

• My male cousin (maternal uncle’s / aunt’s son)

  ولد خالي / ولد خالتي

  wld khali / wld khalti

• My female cousin (paternal uncle’s / aunt’s daughter)

  بنت عمي / بنت عمتي

  bnt 3mmi / bnt 3mmti

• My female cousin (maternal uncle’s / aunt’s daughter)

  بنت خالي / بنت خالتي

  bnt khali / bnt khalti

Father and mother: possessive forms

• My father

  بّا

  bba

• Your father

  بّاك

  bbak

• His father

  بّاه

  bbah

• Her father

  بّاها

  bbaha

• My mother

  مّي

  mmi

• Your mother

  مّك

  mmk

• His mother

  مّو

  mmu

• Her mother

  مها

  mha

Other forms in the source

The source also lists the forms below, but says they are rarely used in Moroccan Arabic and that speakers more often use forms such as “my father” or “my sister.” Recognize them without replacing the everyday forms above.

• The father

  الأب

  l’ab

• The mother

  الأم

  l’om

• The brother

  الأخ

  l’akh

• The sister

  الأخت

  l’okht

Source and audio

Adapted for LearnLahja from Peace Corps/Morocco, Basic Introduction to Arabic, lesson 28 (PDF pages 23, 24). English learning notes, layout and simplified Latin spelling are editorial adaptations. LearnLahja is independent and is not endorsed by Peace Corps.

Audio unavailable. The source names a recording covering lessons 28–30, but no playable recording has been verified for this lesson.