خاله
khale
maternal aunt
nounA1
Quick Reference
KHA-le
maternal aunt
A1 — Absolute Beginner
خاله pronounced by Elyar
What it means
خاله (khâle) means “maternal aunt”, specifically the mother’s sister. Pure Persian word, A1 vocabulary. Persian distinguishes maternal aunts (خاله) from paternal aunts (عمه, amme).
How to use it
- خالهام (khâle-am) “my maternal aunt”
- خاله مهری (khâle Mehri) “Aunt Mehri” (used as title)
- دختر خاله (dokhtar-e khâle) “maternal aunt’s daughter, female cousin”
Common pairings
- دایی (dâyi) “maternal uncle”
- پسر خاله (pesar-e khâle) “maternal aunt’s son, male cousin”
- خالهبزرگ (khâle-bozorg) “great-aunt (maternal)”
- خالهزنک (khâle-zanak) “gossipy woman” (idiomatic, mildly pejorative)
Cultural note
Children often call any kind older woman خاله as a respectful, warm address, a teacher, a neighbor, a family friend. The maternal aunt traditionally has special closeness in Iranian families: a Persian saying holds that “mother’s sister is half-mother” (خاله نصف مادر است).
References
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Children often call any kind older woman خاله as a respectful, warm address, a teacher, a neighbor, a family friend. The maternal aunt traditionally has special closeness in Iranian families: a Persian saying holds that "mother's sister is half-mother" (خاله نصف مادر است).Connected Words