There are four main types of kinship in the family: biological blood kinship, kinship by law (in-laws), spiritual kinship (such as godparents), and legal kinship through adoption and remarriage.[1]
As is common in many rural family structures, three generations of a family will live together in a home in what anthropologists call a joint family structure, where parents, their son(s), and grandchildren would cohabit in a family home.[2]
Words for relations up to five generations removed—great-great-grandparents and great-great-grandchildren—are in common use. The fourth-generation terms are also used as generics for ancestors and descendants. There is no distinction between the maternal and paternal line.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| čukununuka šukununuka [C] | чукунунука шукунунука [C] | great-great-granddaughter | |
| čukununuk šukununuk [C] | чукунунук шукунунук [C] | great-great-grandson | |
| praunuka | праунука | great-granddaughter, descendant | |
| praunuk | праунук | great-grandson, descendant | |
| unuka | унука | granddaughter | |
| unuk | унук | grandson | |
| kćer kćerka ćerka kći | кћер кћерка ћерка кћи | daughter | |
| sin | син | son | |
| majka mater mati | мајка матер мати | mother | |
| mama keva | мама кева | mom | |
| otac | отац | father | |
| babo [B] ćaća [C] ćale [S] tajo [M] tata | бабо [B] ћаћа [C] ћале [S] тајо [M] тата | dad | |
| baba baka nana [B] nona | баба бака нана [B] нона | grandmother | |
| ded(a) deka [S] did(a) [C] dido djed đed [M] nono [C] dedo [B] | дед(a) дека [S] дид(a) [C] дидо дјед ђед [M] ноно [C] дедо [B] | grandfather | |
| prababa prabaka | прабаба прабака | great-grandmother, ancestor | |
| praded(a) pradid(a) [C] pradido pradjed prađed [M] | прадед(a) прадид(a) [C] прадидо прадјед прађед [M] | great-grandfather, ancestor | |
| čukunbaba šukunbaka [C] | чукунбаба шукунбака [C] | great-great-grandmother | |
| čukunded(a) čukundjed čukunđed [M] šukundid(a) [C] šukundjed [C] | чукундед(a) чукундјед чукунђед [M] шукундид(a) [C] шукундјед [C] | great-great-grandfather[3] | |
| predakinja [S] pretkinja [C] pređa [M] | предакиња [S] преткиња [C] пређа [M] | female ancestor | |
| predak | предак | male ancestor |
Diminutive forms of siblings are used for cousins.
| Latin | Cyrillic | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| brat | брат | brother | |
| sestra | сестра | sister | |
| bratić [C] | братић [C] | male first cousin | |
| sestrična [C] | сестрична [C] | female first cousin | |
| brat od strica stričević amidžić | брат од стрица стричевић амиџић | male cousin (always first or second), son of father's brother (or male first cousin) | |
| brat od daja brat od ujaka daidžić ujčević | брат од даја брат од ујака даиџић ујчевић | male cousin (always first or second), son of mother's brother (or male first cousin) | |
| brat od hale brat od tetke tetić tetkić tetišnji | брат од хале брат од тетке тетић теткић тетишњи | male cousin (always first or second), son of mother's or father's sister (or female first cousin) | |
| sestra od strica stričevka admidžišnja | сестра од стрица стричевићка амиџишња | female cousin (always first or second), daughter of father's brother (or male first cousin) | |
| sestra od daja sestra od ujaka ujčevka daidžišnja | сестра од даја сестра од ујака даиџишња ујчевићка | female cousin (always first or second), daughter of mother's brother (or male first cousin) | |
| sestra od hale sestra od tetke tetišnja | сестра од хале сестра од тетке тетишња | female cousin (always first or second), daughter of mother's or father's sister (or female first cousin) | |
| rođak | рођак | male cousin, relative | |
| rođaka [S] rođakinja rodica [C] | рођака [S] рођакиња родица [C] | female cousin, relative |
There are separate terms for maternal and paternal uncles, but not for aunts. In addition, spouses of uncles and aunts have their own terms.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| amidža adžo stric čiča čika ćić | амиџа аџо стриц чича чика ћић | paternal uncle | |
| amidžinica adžinica strina | амиџиница аџиница стрина | paternal uncle's wife | |
| daidža / dajdža dajo ujak | даиџа / дајџа дајо ујак | maternal uncle | |
| daidžinica / dajdžinica dajnica ujna | даиџиница / дајџиница дајница ујна | maternal uncle's wife; i.e. maternal aunt through marriage | |
| hala tetka | хала тетка | aunt (only mother's or father's sister or cousin) | |
| teča [S] tetak | теча [S] тетак | aunt's husband (where aunt defined as "tetka") | |
| bratanac | братанац | fraternal nephew (for women[S], for men and women[C]) | |
| bratanić bratić | братанић братић | fraternal nephew (for men and women) | |
| sinovac | синовац | fraternal nephew (for men[S]) | |
| bratanica brataničina bratičina | братаница братаничина братичина | fraternal niece | |
| nećak | нећак | nephew | |
| nećaka nećakinja | нећака нећакиња | niece | |
| sestrić | сестрић | sororal nephew | |
| sestričina | сестричина | sororal niece |
There are separate terms for a man's and a woman's parents-in-law. However, the same terms are commonly used for siblings-in-law and children-in-law. There are separate terms for co-siblings-in-law.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| svekar | свекар | husband's father | father-in-law | |
| svekrva | свекрва | husband's mother | mother-in-law | |
| punac [C] tast[S] | пунац [C] таст [S] | wife's father | father-in-law | |
| punica [C] tašta[S] | пуница [C] ташта [S] | wife's mother | mother-in-law | |
| zet | зет | daughter's or sister's husband | son-in-law or brother-in-law | |
| nev(j)esta odiva [M] snaha snaja [C, S] | нев(ј)еста одива [M] снаха снаjа [C, S] | son's or brother's wife | daughter-in-law or sister-in-law | |
| šura(k) šurjak[C] šogor[C] | шура(к) шурjак [C] шогор [C] | wife's brother | brother-in-law | |
| šurjakinja[C] šurnjaja | шурјакиња[C] шурњаја | wife's brother's wife | sister-in-law | |
| svastika šogorica [C] | свастика шогорица [C] | wife's sister | sister-in-law | |
| svastić | свастић | wife's sister's son | nephew-in-law | |
| svastičina | свастичина | wife's sister's daughter | niece-in-law | |
| badženjak badžo d(j)ever đever [M] | баџењак баџо д(j)евер ђевер [M] | husband's brother | brother-in-law | |
| jetrva | јетрва | husband's brother's wife | co-sister-in-law | |
| zaova | заова | husband's sister | sister-in-law | |
| zaovac | заовац | husband's sister's husband | co-brother-in-law | |
| pašanac pašenog badžo | пашанац пашеног баџо | wife's sister's husband | co-brother-in-law | |
| prija | прија | child's spouse's mother | co-mother-in-law | |
| prijatelj | пријатељ | child's spouse's father | co-father-in-law
|
There are spouses of ancestors that are not blood relatives and their spouse's descendants, second spouse of father's or mother's siblings (paternal or maternal step-aunts and step-uncles) and their children.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| očuh | очух | stepfather | |
| maćeha | маћеха | stepmother | |
| pastorak | пасторак | stepson | |
| pastorka pastorkinja | пасторка пасторкиња | stepdaughter | |
| polubrat | полубрат | half-brother (through only one parent) | |
| – brat po ocu | брат по оцу | half-brother (sharing same father, different mothers) | |
| – brat po majci | брат по мајци | half-brother (sharing same mother, different fathers) | |
| polusestra | полусестра | half-sister (through only one parent) | |
| – sestra po ocu | сестра по оцу | half-sister (sharing same father, different mothers) | |
| – sestra po majci | сестра по мајци | half-sister (sharing same mother, different fathers) |
Foster relations are important and have dedicated terms.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| usvojenik | усвојеник | adopted son | |
| usvojenica | усвојеница | adopted daughter | |
| poočim | поочим | foster-father | |
| pomajka | помајка | foster-mother | |
| posinak usinjenik [S] | посинак усињеник [S] | foster-son | |
| po(k)ćerka | по(к)ћерка | foster-daughter |