The Serbo-Croatian standard languages (Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian) have one of the more elaborate kinship (srodstvo) systems among European languages. Terminology may differ from place to place. Most words are common to other Slavic languages, though some derive from Turkish. The standardized languages may recognize slightly different pronunciations or dialectical forms; these are marked [S] (Serbian) and [C] (Croatian) below.
There are four main types of kinship in the family: biological aka blood kinship, kinship by law (in-laws), spiritual kinship (such as godparents), and legal kinship through adoption and remarriage.[1]
As is common in many rural family structures, three generations of a family will live together in a home in what anthropologists call a joint family structure, where parents, their son(s), and grandchildren would cohabit in a family home.[2]
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Words for relations up to five generations removed—great-great-grandparents and great-great-grandchildren—are in common use. The fourth-generation terms are also used as generics for ancestors and descendants. There is no distinction between the maternal and paternal line. In addition, specialized terms for ancestry up to sixteen generations have been coined for use in genealogical circles, but these are not commonly known.[note 1]
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| potomkinja | потомкиња | female descendant |
| potomak | потомак | male descendant |
| čukununuka, šukununuka[C] | чукунунука | great-great-granddaughter |
| čukununuk, šukununuk[C] | чукунунук | great-great-grandson |
| praunuka | праунука | great-granddaughter, descendant |
| praunuk | праунук | great-grandson, descendant |
| unuka | унука | granddaughter |
| unuk | унук | grandson |
| (k)ćer(ka), kći[C] | (k)ћер(ка) | daughter |
| sin | син | son |
| majka, mati | мајка, мати | mother |
| otac | отац | father |
| baba, baka | баба, бака | grandmother |
| d(j)ed(a), deka, đed,[S] dida[C] | д(ј)ед(a), дека, ђед[S] | grandfather |
| prababa, prabaka | прабаба | great-grandmother, ancestor |
| prad(j)ed(a), prađed[S] | прад(ј)ед(a), прађед[S] | great-grandfather, ancestor |
| čukunbaba, šukunbaka[C] | чукунбаба | great-great-grandmother |
| čukund(j)ed(a), čukunđed,[S] šukundjed[C] | чукунд(ј)ед(a), чукунђед[S] | great-great-grandfather[3] |
| pretkinja | преткиња | female ancestor |
| predak | предак | male ancestor |
Diminutive forms of siblings are used for cousins.
| Latin | Cyrillic | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| brat | брат | brother |
| sestra | сестра | sister |
| bratić[C] | братић | male first cousin |
| sestrična[C] | сестрична | female first cousin |
| rođak | рођак | male cousin, relative |
| rođaka, rođakinja, rodica | рођака, рођакиња, родица | female cousin, relative |
There are separate terms for maternal and paternal uncles, but not for aunts. In addition, spouses of uncles and aunts have their own terms.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| stric | стриц | paternal uncle |
| strina | стрина | paternal uncle's wife |
| ujak | ујак | maternal uncle |
| ujna | ујна | maternal uncle's wife; sometimes maternal aunt |
| tetka | тетка | aunt (only mother's or father's sister or cousin) |
| tetak (teča) | тетак (теча) | aunt's husband (where aunt defined as "tetka") |
| bratanac | братанац | fraternal nephew (for women) |
| sinovac | синовац | fraternal nephew (for men) |
| bratanica | братаница | fraternal niece |
| nećak (Dalmatian-Croatian) | нећак | nephew |
| nećaka, nećakinja (Dalmatian-Croatian | нећака, нећакиња | niece |
| sestrić | сестрић | sororal nephew |
| sestričina | сестричина | sororal niece |
There are separate terms for a man's and a woman's parents-in-law. However, the same terms are commonly used for siblings-in-law and children-in-law. There are separate terms for co-siblings-in-law.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| svekar | свекар | husband's father | father-in-law |
| svekrva | свекрва | husband's mother | mother-in-law |
| punac, tast[S] | пунац, таст[S] | wife's father | father-in-law |
| punica, tašta[S] | пуница, ташта[S] | wife's mother | mother-in-law |
| zet | зет | daughter's or sister's husband | son-in-law or brother-in-law |
| nevjesta,[C] snaha,[S] snaja[S] | нев(ј)еста,снаха, снаjа | son's or brother's wife | daughter-in-law or sister-in-law |
| šurak, šurjak, šogor[C] | шурак, шурjак | wife's brother | brother-in-law |
| šurnjaja, šurjakinja | шурњаја, шурјакиња | wife's brother's wife | sister-in-law |
| svastika, šogorica[C] | свастика | wife's sister | sister-in-law |
| svastić | свастић | wife's sister's son | nephew-in-law |
| svastičina | свастичина | wife's sister's daughter | niece-in-law |
| djever, dever | девер, дjевер | husband's brother | brother-in-law |
| zaova | заова | husband's sister | sister-in-law |
| pašenog, pašanac, badžanac[C] | пашеног, пашанац, баџа | wife's sister's husband | co-brother-in-law |
| jetrva | јетрва | husband's brother's wife | co-sister-in-law |
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| očuh | очух | stepfather |
| maćeha | маћеха | stepmother |
| pastorak | пасторак | stepson |
| pastorka, pastorkinja | пасторка, пасторкиња | stepdaughter |
| polusestra | полусестра | stepsister |
| polubrat | полубрат | stepbrother |
Foster relations are important and have dedicated terms.
| Latin | Cyrillic | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| usvojenik | усвојеник | adopted son |
| usvojenica | усвојеница | adopted daughter |
| poočim | поочим | foster-father |
| pomajka | помајка | foster-mother |
| posinak, usinjenik[S] | посинак, усињеник[S] | foster-son |
| po(k)ćerka | по(к)ћерка | foster-daughter |