'My Cousin Sister' — Is It Correct English?

One of the most commonly heard Indianisms in English is 'cousin sister' or 'cousin brother'. But is this grammatically correct? Let's find out.

Question (Click to Flip)

Is 'cousin sister' used in formal writing?

Answer

No. In formal or academic writing, always use just 'cousin'. 'Cousin sister' is informal conversational English used in India and is not accepted in formal contexts.

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Key Facts

An 'Indianism' is an English expression used in India that is not standard in British or American English. Other examples: 'do the needful', 'prepone', 'out of station'.

The Grammar Rule

In standard British and American English, the correct word is simply 'cousin' — with no need for 'sister' or 'brother'.

✅ Correct: 'She is my cousin.'
❌ Incorrect (Indianism): 'She is my cousin sister.'

The word 'cousin' is gender-neutral in English — it can refer to either a male or female relative who is the child of your uncle or aunt.

Why Do Indians Say It?

This construction comes from the influence of Indian languages:

In Hindi: 'चचेरी बहन' (cousin-sister) and 'चचेरा भाई' (cousin-brother) are standard terms.
Tamil, Telugu, and other languages similarly distinguish gender in cousin relationships.
Indians naturally translate this structure directly into English, creating 'cousin sister/brother' — a very common Indianism.

When Clarity is Needed

If you need to specify gender in English:

'My female cousin' or 'my male cousin' — perfectly acceptable.
'My cousin Sarah' — using the name makes gender clear naturally.

Questions and Answers

Is 'cousin sister' used in formal writing?+

No. In formal or academic writing, always use just 'cousin'. 'Cousin sister' is informal conversational English used in India and is not accepted in formal contexts.

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