# Big Brother



## Dimplezz89

How do you say big brother or maybe even something you would call your big brother


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## aslan

Dimplezz89 said:


> How do you say big brother or maybe even something you would call your big brother



Ağabey,
 or  more colloquial way, "Abi"


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## Gencebay

*Abi *is used much more frequently than *ağabey, *and while pronouncing *abi, *we say the initial (i.e "a") a little bit long; I mean *a *is a long vowel


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## Dimplezz89

Teşekkür ederim


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## Dimplezz89

Gencebay said:


> *Abi *is used much more frequently than *ağabey, *and while pronouncing *abi, *we say the initial (i.e "a") a little bit long; I mean *a *is a long vowel


 
What other words could you use for brother? Or actually what are some nicknames you have heard for brothers?


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## panjabigator

Very interesting!  I believe people use the word "aga" in Urdu and in Persian as a respectful term for men.  

And isn't the leader of the Ismaeli sect of Islam called the "Agha Khan?"


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## Volcano

Dimplezz89 said:


> What other words could you use for brother? Or actually what are some nicknames you have heard for brothers?



*Birader is also used for big brothers*


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## aslan

> Birader is also used for big brothers



Please correct me If I am mistaken but Isn't  the word "birader" is used for both  brothers, generally for small ones, actually.


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## Volcano

*Yes both younger and older brothers *


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## Gencebay

Dimplezz89 said:


> What other words could you use for brother? Or actually what are some nicknames you have heard for brothers?



For *brother* (not for big brother) the most suitable and most widely used word is *kardeş*, which is the general spelling and pronounciation. In some regions (especially in the eastern part of Turkey) *gardaş* is used for *kardeş. *

For *sister*, the general word used is *kız kardeş*, but *bacı* is also used as commonly (though sometimes it is used in different contexts.) For *elder sister, *we use *abla* almost all the time.


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## Gencebay

panjabigator said:


> Very interesting!  I believe people use the word "aga" in Urdu and in Persian as a respectful term for men.



"aga", most commonly "ağa" derived from Mongolian Language through common codification (as Mongulian Language is in the same language family with Turkish.) This word was used for *big brother* in older times (and still used in some villages and in the eastern part of Turkey), but now it is not used for big brother as common as those times. In some circles, however, (especially among youngs) it is used while addressing to each other. 

In villages "ağa" is still used for the person who is the owner of the village. 



> And isn't the leader of the Ismaeli sect of Islam called the "Agha Khan?"



I don't know that


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## panjabigator

Gencebay said:


> "aga", most commonly "ağa" derived from Mongolian Language through common codification (as Mongulian Language is in the same language family with Turkish.) This word was used for *big brother* in older times (and still used in some villages and in the eastern part of Turkey), but now it is not used for big brother as common as those times. In some circles, however, (especially among youngs) it is used while addressing to each other.
> 
> In villages "ağa" is still used for the person who is the owner of the village.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know that



Thanks for your reply.  I did mean to write "ağa" but I didn't know how to write the letter (although some people do pronounce it as "aga" too).  

Urdu also uses the word "birader," however I think it sounds must more formal.


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## Gencebay

panjabigator said:


> Thanks for your reply.  I did mean to write "ağa" but I didn't know how to write the letter (although some people do pronounce it as "aga" too).
> 
> Urdu also uses the word "birader," however I think it sounds must more formal.



Yep, you're right; it is sometimes pronounced as "aga", as well. 

For Urdu it may be true, but for Turkish birader (from Persian) is informal moft of the time


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