Read the question in its own direction

Learning outcome

You can answer from the person the question names, and you can refuse a gender the sentences never give.

Concepts and reasons

How is A related to B asks what A is of B. It does not ask what B is of A. Swap the names and the answer changes. If A is the father of B, then A is B's father. The reverse question, how is B related to A, makes B the child of A. The sentences do not say whether B is a son or a daughter, so the safe answer is child, not son. Build the path one sentence at a time. A is the brother of B. B is the mother of C. Then A is the brother of C's mother, so A is C's maternal uncle. In Hindi, the mother's brother is mama.

Worked examples

1. A is the father of B. How is A related to B? A is B's father.
2. A is the father of B. How is B related to A? B is A's child. Son is not given.
3. A is the brother of B. B is the mother of C. How is A related to C? A is C's maternal uncle, mama.

Common traps

Answering the reverse relation. Father of B is not the same answer as child of A. Choosing son when the sentence says child and gives no gender. Brother and sister are given only when the sentence says so. Calling the mother's brother a paternal uncle. He is on the mother's side.

Practice questions

1. M is the sister of N. How is N related to M, if N's gender is not given?
2. P is the mother of Q. Q is the father of R. How is P related to R?
3. A is the brother of B, and B is the father of C. How is A related to C?

Answers and explanations

1. N is M's sibling. The sentence says M is a sister, so M is female. It does not say whether N is a brother or a sister.
2. P is R's father's mother, so P is R's paternal grandmother. In Hindi, a father's mother is dadi.
3. A is the brother of C's father, so A is C's paternal uncle. In Hindi he is chacha or tau. He is not mama, because the path goes through the father.

Analogy

The question is an arrow from the first name to the second. How is A related to B draws the arrow A to B. Drawing it backwards answers a different question.

Quick reference

• How is A related to B means what A is of B.
• No gender in the sentence means child, not son and not daughter.
• Brother of the mother: maternal uncle, mama.
• Brother of the father: paternal uncle. Father's mother: paternal grandmother, dadi.