ताई (taaii)

noun Kinship term: the wife of one's father's elder brother (elder paternal aunt-in-law). Related to ताऊ (taaoo, father's elder brother).

Sense 1 : wife of father's elder brother

noun, feminine

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In most North Indian joint families, ताई (taaii) often holds a position of quiet authority in the household, sometimes taking on a role similar to a second mother, especially in matters of running the home. Kids growing up in Delhi-NCR households will often hear ताई (taaii) used constantly at family gatherings, since precise kinship terms (rather than a blanket 'aunty') are the norm in Hindi even in casual speech.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use ताई (taaii) as a generic word for 'aunt,' but Hindi kinship terms are precise: ताई (taaii) is specifically the wife of one's ताऊ (taaoo, father's elder brother), distinct from चाची (chaachii, wife of father's younger brother) and मौसी (mausii, mother's sister) or बुआ (buaa, father's sister). 2) Younger siblings' wives are not called ताई (taaii) even if older than the speaker -- the term tracks the husband's birth order relative to the speaker's father, not age.

Sample Sentences:

मेरी ताई हर साल दिवाली पर पूरे घर को सजाती हैं। My aunt (father's elder brother's wife) decorates the whole house every year on Diwali.

(merii taaii har saal divaalii par poore ghar ko sajaatii hain।)

ताई रसोई में खाना बना रही हैं। Aunt is cooking food in the kitchen.

(taaii rasoii men khaanaa banaa rahii hain।)

कल ताई हमारे घर आई थीं। Yesterday, aunt (father's elder brother's wife) came to our house.

(kal taaii hamaare ghar aaii thiin।)

ताई, ज़रा वो डिब्बा उठा दीजिए। Aunt, please pick up that box for me.

(taaii, zaraa vo dibbaa uthaa diijie।)

अगर ताई घर पर होतीं, तो सब कुछ वक़्त पर हो जाता। If aunt had been home, everything would have happened on time.

(agar taaii ghar par hotiin, to sab kuchh vaqt par ho jaataa।)

शायद ताई इस बार शादी में ज़रूर आएँ। Perhaps aunt will surely come to the wedding this time.

(shaayad taaii is baar shaadii men zaroor aaen।)

बचपन में मुझे ताई ने ही पाला था, माँ की तबीयत ठीक नहीं रहती थी। As a child, it was my aunt who actually raised me, my mother's health used to stay poor.

(bachpan men mujhe taaii ne hii paalaa thaa, maan kii tabiiyat thiik nahiin rahtii thii।)

घर के सारे फ़ैसले ताई की मर्ज़ी से लिए जाते हैं। All the household decisions are made according to aunt's wishes.

(ghar ke saare faisle taaii kii marzii se lie jaate hain।)

ताई हमेशा कहती हैं कि बड़ों का आदर करना चाहिए। Aunt always says that one should respect one's elders.

(taaii hameshaa kahtii hain ki badon kaa aadar karnaa chaahie।)

जब तक ताई नहीं आ जातीं, खाना शुरू मत करना। Don't start the meal until aunt arrives.

(jab tak taaii nahiin aa jaatiin, khaanaa shuroo mat karnaa।)

ताई बरामदे में कुर्सी पर बैठी हैं और सबको निर्देश दे रही हैं। Aunt is sitting on a chair in the veranda, giving instructions to everyone.

(taaii baraamde men kursii par baithii hain aur sabko nirdesh de rahii hain।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): ताई (taaii)

(sg.f.oblique): ताई (taaii)

(pl.f.direct): ताईएँ (taaiien)

(pl.f.oblique): ताईओं (taaiion)