Hindi · People & Family
"Sister-in-law" in Hindi: भाभी
भाभीbhaabhi
Note: brother's wife; wife's sister: साली (saali); husband's sister: ननद (nanad)
Sister-in-law as your brother's wife is भाभी (bhaabhi), feminine. Wife's sister is साली (saali); husband's sister is ननद (nanad).
Family dinner
मेरी भाभी खाना बना रही हैं।meri bhaabhi khaana bana rahi hain.
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How to pronounce भाभी
Say it
BHAA-bhi
/bʱɑːbʱiː/
Bhaabhi is BHAA-bhi. Aspirated bh, long aa, final i for ई.
"Sister-in-law" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| भाभीbhaabhi | sister-in-law (brother's wife) Default headword sense. | Default headword sense. |
| भाभी जीbhaabhi ji | sister-in-law (respectful) Polite mention. | Polite mention. |
| सालीsaali | wife's sister Different in-law. | Different in-law. |
| ननदnanad | husband's sister Another sister-in-law type. | Another sister-in-law type. |
How to use भाभी in real life
- 1Family dinner
मेरी भाभी खाना बना रही हैं।
meri bhaabhi khaana bana rahi hain.
My sister-in-law is cooking.
Respectful hain.
- 2Shopping
भाभी जी कपड़े चुन रही हैं।
bhaabhi ji kapde chun rahi hain.
Sister-in-law ji is choosing clothes.
Ji.
- 3Intro
ये मेरी भाभी हैं, प्रिया।
ye meri bhaabhi hain, Priya.
This is my sister-in-law, Priya.
Brother's wife.
Mistakes English speakers make with भाभी
Incorrect: Using bhaabhi for husband's sister
Correct: Nanad for husband's sister; bhaabhi for brother's wife
Hindi splits sister-in-law by side.
Incorrect: Mera bhaabhi
Correct: Meri bhaabhi
Feminine.
Good to know
भाभी is affectionate and common after a brother marries. Songs and sitcoms use bhaabhi warmly. Saali and nanad are other sister-in-law roles — ask which side if English only said "sister-in-law".
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting your brother's wife at a festival
ChatPal
आपकी भाभी कहाँ हैं?
aapki bhaabhi kahaan hain?
Where is your sister-in-law?
You
भाभी जी रसोई में हैं।
bhaabhi ji rasoi mein hain.
Sister-in-law ji is in the kitchen.
ChatPal
भाभी से नमस्ते कह देते हैं।
bhaabhi se namaste kah dete hain.
Let's say hello to sister-in-law.
You
चलिए, मैं साथ हूँ।
chaliye, main saath hoon.
Come on — I'm with you.
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Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sister-in-law" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sister-in-law" in Hindi
Brother's wife?
Bhaabhi.
Wife's sister?
Saali.
Husband's sister?
Nanad.
Respectful?
Bhaabhi ji.
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
