When you search “How to Say Sister in Different Languages,” it usually means you want to express love in a more meaningful, global way.
Maybe you’re writing a message for your sister, creating content, or simply exploring cultural diversity.
In this guide, I’ll talk to you directly and show you how different countries express this beautiful word. Each translation carries its own emotion, history, and warmth. By the end of this article, you’ll not only learn the correct words, but also how to use them confidently when talking to someone from another culture
Quick Reference Table
| Language | Word for Sister | Pronunciation (approx.) | Cultural/Linguistic Note |
| English | Sister | SIS-ter | Used for both blood and chosen family (“soul sister”) |
| Spanish | Hermana | er-MAH-nah | Diminutive “hermanita” = extreme affection |
| French | Sœur | sur | “Sœur” also means “nun” – spiritual sisters share the same word |
| Italian | Sorella | so-REL-la | “Sorellina” = little sister, used even for adults to show tenderness |
| German | Schwester | SHVES-ter | Same word for biological sister and nun |
| Portuguese | Irmã | eer-MAHN | Brazil: “maninha” is a cute, common nickname |
| Dutch | Zus | zuss | Very casual – “zusje” = little sis, used affectionately |
| Swedish | Syster | SIS-ter | “Syrran” = slang, like saying “sis” in English |
| Russian | Сестра (Sestra) | SYES-tra | “Sestrenka” = tender, loving form |
| Polish | Siostra | SHOS-tra | “Siostrzyczka” melts hearts |
| Mandarin Chinese | 姐姐 (Jiějie) – older / 妹妹 (Mèimei) – younger | JYEH-jyeh / MAY-may | Birth порядок matters hugely – different words for older/younger sister |
| Cantonese | 姐姐 (Gaje) / 妹妹 (Muimui) | GAH-jeh / MOOY-mooey | Same older/younger distinction |
| Japanese | 姉 (Ane) – older / 妹 (Imōto) – younger | AH-neh / ee-MOH-toh | Rarely used to someone’s face; “oneesan/imouto” more polite when speaking directly |
| Korean | 언니 (Eonni) – older (said by female) / 여동생 (Yeodongsaeng) – younger | UN-nee / YUH-dong-seng | Age hierarchy is everything in Korean family terms |
| Hindi | बहन (Behen) | BEH-hen | “Didi” = respectful/cute term for older sister |
| Urdu | بہن (Behen) | same as Hindi | Often paired with “apy” (informal “sis”) |
| Arabic | أخت (Ukht) | Ookht | “Ukhti” = my sister, widely used among Muslim women as a term of endearment |
| Turkish | Kız kardeş | kizz kar-DESH | Literally “girl sibling” |
| Swahili | Dada | DAH-dah | Also means “sister” in the broader African “sisterhood” sense |
| Zulu | Dadewethu / Sisi | da-de-WEH-too / SEE-see | “Sisi” is used across many South African languages as affectionate slang |
| Yoruba | Ẹ̀gbẹ́ / Arábìnrin ẹ̀gbẹ́ | EH-gbeh | Deep respect for older sisters; younger ones often called by name |
| Amharic (Ethiopia) | Ehet | EE-het | “Ehetye” = my sister, very warm |
| Hawaiian | Kaikuaʻana (older) / Kaikuahine (younger, said by brother) | kye-koo-ah-AH-nah | Gender of speaker changes the word |
| Māori | Tuahine | too-ah-HEE-neh | Said by a brother; a sister calls another sister “tuahine” too |
| Samoan | Tuafafine | too-ah-fah-FEE-neh | Used by brothers for their sisters; sisters call each other “uso” |
| Cherokee | Ageyutsa | ah-geh-YOO-jah | Literally “female child of my mother” |
| Navajo | Shideezhí | shi-DEH-zhee | “Little sister” is shideezhí yázhí |
| Inuit (Inuktitut) | Angaju | ah-NGAH-yoo | Can mean older sibling of any gender |
| Tagalog | Ate (older) / Kapatid na babae | AH-teh | “Ate” is one of the most beloved words in Filipino culture |
| Thai | พี่สาว (Phi sao) – older / น้องสาว (Nong sao) – younger | PEE sao / NAWNG sao | Hierarchical – you never call an older sister just “sao” |
| Vietnamese | Chị (older) / Em gái (younger) | CHEE / EM guy | Same older/younger distinction; “chị” is deeply respectful |
(And yes, I could keep going—there are over 7,000 languages!)
European Languages
In most European languages, the word for sister traces back to Latin “soror” or Proto-Germanic “swestēr.” What’s beautiful is how tenderness is added: the French roll their “r” softly, Italians stretch “sorella” like a hug, and the Spanish “hermanita” can make even a 40-year-old feel cherished.
In Catholic Europe (France, Italy, Poland, Ireland), “sister” also means nun—blurring the line between biological and spiritual kinship. In Ireland you might still hear a nun addressed warmly as “Sister Mary,” and no one thinks twice.
Asian Languages
In much of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand), you don’t just have “a sister”—you have an older sister or a younger sister, and the words are completely different. This reflects Confucian influence: age determines respect and speech. Calling your older sister by her name alone would be shocking.
In India, “didi” (Hindi/Bengali) is so affectionate that taxi drivers and shopkeepers call any slightly older woman “didi” as a sign of respect. In Arabic-speaking worlds, “ukhti” has become a global term of sisterly love among young Muslim women online.
African Languages
In many African cultures, “sister” extends far beyond biology. In Swahili, calling someone “dada” instantly creates warmth. In South Africa, “sisi” is used between women of any relation—friends, strangers, colleagues—as a marker of solidarity. During apartheid, Black women used “sister” as a quiet act of resistance and love.
In Igbo (Nigeria), the concept of “nwanne” means both sibling and cousin—family is wide and woven tight.
Indigenous & Island Cultures
In Polynesia (Hawaiian, Māori, Samoan), the word you use often depends on the speaker’s gender. A brother calls his sister “tuafafine” (Samoan), while sisters call each other “uso”—the same word they use for brother. It’s less about gender, more about shared blood.
In many Native American languages (Cherokee, Navajo, Lakota), sister terms are precise and relational—showing exactly how someone fits into the family web.
Cultural Insights & Evolution
The Proto-Indo-European root swésōr (sister) is one of the oldest words we can reconstruct—spoken 6,000 years ago. Remarkably, it’s stayed stable while words for tools, animals, and gods changed completely. Why? Because family is the one constant.
In matrilineal societies (Minangkabau in Indonesia, Mosuo in China, some Native American nations), “sister” can carry even more weight than “mother.”
Proverbs About Sisters From Around the World
- Arabic: “My sister and I against the world; my brother and I against my sister.” (playful rivalry)
- Yoruba (Nigeria): “A sister is wealth that cannot be stolen.”
- Japanese: “A sister is both your mirror—and your opposite.”
- Italian: “Chi trova una sorella, trova un tesoro.” (He who finds a sister finds a treasure.)
- Korean: “Even if older sister’s temper is fire, her heart is honey.”
- Jamaican Patois: “Sista love strong like iron.”
FAQs
Why do so many languages have similar-sounding words for sister?
Because most European and many South Asian languages come from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root (*swésōr). It’s linguistic DNA.
What’s the oldest known writing of “sister”?
In Ancient Egyptian (c. 2000 BCE): “snt” (senet).
Are there cultures that don’t have a specific word for sister?
Very rare. Some Australian Aboriginal languages use the same word for “sibling” and specify gender only when needed, but most cultures mark the relationship clearly.
Why do some languages have different words for older vs. younger sister?
In hierarchical societies (especially East Asia), age determines how you speak to someone—even family.
Final Reflection
No matter where you go—whether someone calls her jiějie, hermana, dada, or sisi—a sister is the person who knows your childhood stories, who will drop everything when you call crying, who fights with you and for you in the same breath.
So tell me in the comments: How do you say “sister” in your language? What nickname do you actually use? And if you’re lucky enough to have one—have you told her lately that you love her?
