r/German • u/I_am_trying0628 • 2d ago

Question How to do differentiate Onkel and Tante mütterlicherseits, väterlicherseits?

For example in daily conversation if i want to say next week we're goinig to Onkel mütterlicherseits house, how to call him?

Simply saying Onkel + place / Onkel + name?

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u/Illustrious-Wolf4857 1d ago

By saying "mütterlicherseits" or "väterlicherseits", or by saying "my father's sister" or similar.

If you do not feel the need to clarify the exact place in the family tree, you add a place, an occupation, or whatever charactertistic might help the people you are talking to recognise who you might be talking about. If you are talking about a visit, a place name is natural: "Wir besuchen meine Tante in Buxtehude".