Tuesday, April 2, 2013

In-laws and what they are called (not behind their backs, I should add)

In Russian the words for various in-laws do not use the simple 'X-in-law' formula used in English. 

Here is a table showing the various relations. If you are married to (or would like to be married to) a Russian, this will come in useful, if only to follow tales of long-lost relatives at застолья!


In English the same terms are basically much simpler, using the said 'X-in-law' formula.

Here are the equivalents (based on the diagram above, clockwise):
- сват = son-in-law's / daughter-in-law's father (no special term)
- сватья = son-in-law's / daughter-in-law's  mother (no special term)
- свекровь = mother-in-law
- невестка = daughter-in-law
- свекр = father-in-law
- сноха = daughter-in-law
- деверь = brother-in-law
- невестка = sister-in-law
- невестка = sister-in-law
- золовка = sister-in-law
- зять = brother-in-law
- своячница = sister-in-law
- зять = brother-in-law
- шурин = brother-in-law
- тесть = father-in-law
- зять = son-in-law
- тёща = mother-in-law
- зять = son-in-law