Extended family
Beyond parents, siblings and children, the family extends with uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws. Here is the most commonly used vocabulary.
Uncles, aunts and cousins
| Euskera | English |
|---|---|
| osaba | uncle |
| izeba | aunt |
| lehengusu | cousin (male) |
| lehengusina | cousin (female) |
| iloba | nephew/niece (also “grandson/granddaughter” in some dialects — context decides) |
In-laws
| Euskera | English |
|---|---|
| aitaginarreba | father-in-law |
| amaginarreba | mother-in-law |
| koinatu | brother-in-law |
| koinata | sister-in-law |
| errain | daughter-in-law |
| suhi | son-in-law |
Usage patterns
- Nire osaba Bilbon bizi da. — My uncle lives in Bilbo.
- Bere lehengusinak hamabi urte ditu. — His/her cousin is twelve years old.
- Zure koinata euskalduna da? — Is your sister-in-law Basque?
The words for in-laws are often formed by combining existing words (aita- + ginarreba). There is no need to memorize the internal logic; they settle in with use.
Ejercicios
"Lehengusu" means...