Grandmothers hold a special place in every heart they are the warm hugs, the wise advice, and the endless love that shapes our lives. But have you ever wondered how people around the world call their grandmothers?
It’s fascinating to see how each culture has its own unique word, full of history, emotion, and meaning. From the sweet “Nana” in English-speaking countries to the melodic “Nonna” in Italian, or the tender “Oma” in German, every word carries its own charm.
Learning these names isn’t just about language it’s about understanding traditions, family bonds, and the little ways different cultures celebrate the women who mean so much.
How to Say “grandmother” in 60 Different Languages
United States
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Used for your father’s or mother’s mother.
Example: My grandmother lives near me.
Example: I love my grandmother very much.
United Kingdom
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Used for your parents’ mother.
Example: My grandmother is very kind.
Example: I visit my grandmother every week.
Canada
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Common word for a family elder.
Example: My grandmother cooks for us.
Example: I called my grandmother today.
Mexico
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Used to talk about your grandmother in Spanish.
Example: Mi abuela vive aquí.
Example: Quiero mucho a mi abuela.
Brazil
Word: avó
Pronunciation: ah-voh
Uses: Used for grandmother in Portuguese.
Example: Minha avó mora perto.
Example: Amo minha avó.
Argentina
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Mi abuela es amable.
Example: Mi abuela cocina bien.
Chile
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Used in daily family talk.
Example: Mi abuela me llama.
Example: Vivo con mi abuela.
Colombia
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Standard word for grandmother.
Example: Mi abuela es feliz.
Example: Voy a ver a mi abuela.
Peru
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Used in families and schools.
Example: Mi abuela vive lejos.
Example: Extraño a mi abuela.
France
Word: grand-mère
Pronunciation: grahn-mair
Uses: Formal and common word.
Example: Ma grand-mère est gentille.
Example: Je parle à ma grand-mère.
Spain
Word: abuela
Pronunciation: ah-bweh-lah
Uses: Normal word for grandmother.
Example: Mi abuela vive aquí.
Example: Mi abuela me ayuda.
Germany
Word: Oma
Pronunciation: oh-mah
Uses: Friendly and common word.
Example: Meine Oma ist nett.
Example: Ich liebe meine Oma.
Italy
Word: nonna
Pronunciation: non-nah
Uses: Used for grandmother in families.
Example: La nonna è a casa.
Example: Amo la mia nonna.
Portugal
Word: avó
Pronunciation: ah-voh
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Minha avó está aqui.
Example: Gosto da minha avó.
Netherlands
Word: oma
Pronunciation: oh-mah
Uses: Friendly word for grandmother.
Example: Mijn oma is lief.
Example: Ik bezoek mijn oma.
Sweden
Word: mormor
Pronunciation: mor-mor
Uses: Used for grandmother on mother’s side.
Example: Min mormor är snäll.
Example: Jag älskar min mormor.
Norway
Word: bestemor
Pronunciation: beh-steh-mor
Uses: General word for grandmother.
Example: Bestemor bor her.
Example: Jeg savner bestemor.
Denmark
Word: bedstemor
Pronunciation: bes-teh-mor
Uses: Normal family word.
Example: Min bedstemor er sød.
Example: Jeg ser min bedstemor.
Finland
Word: isoäiti
Pronunciation: ee-soh-eye-tee
Uses: Formal word for grandmother.
Example: Isoäiti on kotona.
Example: Rakastan isoäitiä.
Poland
Word: babcia
Pronunciation: bab-cha
Uses: Very common family word.
Example: Moja babcia jest miła.
Example: Kocham babcię.
Czech Republic
Word: babička
Pronunciation: bah-bich-kah
Uses: Friendly and polite word.
Example: Moje babička je doma.
Example: Mám rád babičku.
Hungary
Word: nagymama
Pronunciation: nodj-mah-mah
Uses: Used for grandmother.
Example: A nagymama itt van.
Example: Szeretem a nagymamát.
Romania
Word: bunica
Pronunciation: boo-nee-kah
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Bunica este aici.
Example: Îmi iubesc bunica.
Bulgaria
Word: baba
Pronunciation: bah-bah
Uses: Informal and common word.
Example: Baba e acasă.
Example: Obicham baba.
Greece
Word: giagia
Pronunciation: yah-yah
Uses: Friendly word for grandmother.
Example: I giagia ine edo.
Example: Agapo ti giagia mou.
Turkey
Word: anneanne
Pronunciation: an-neh-an-neh
Uses: Used for grandmother on mother’s side.
Example: Anneanne evde.
Example: Anneannemi seviyorum.
Russia
Word: babushka
Pronunciation: bah-boosh-kah
Uses: Very common word.
Example: Babushka doma.
Example: Ya lyublyu babushku.
Ukraine
Word: babusya
Pronunciation: bah-boo-syah
Uses: Used in family talk.
Example: Babusya tut.
Example: Ya lyublyu babusyu.
China
Word: nǎinai
Pronunciation: nai-nai
Uses: Used for father’s mother.
Example: Nǎinai zài jiā.
Example: Wǒ ài nǎinai.
Japan
Word: obaasan
Pronunciation: oh-bah-san
Uses: Polite word for grandmother.
Example: Obaasan wa genki desu.
Example: Obaasan ga suki desu.
South Korea
Word: halmeoni
Pronunciation: hal-muh-nee
Uses: Common word for grandmother.
Example: Halmeoni-ga isseo-yo.
Example: Halmeoni-reul saranghaeyo.
Thailand
Word: yai
Pronunciation: yai
Uses: Used for grandmother.
Example: Yai yuu tee baan.
Example: Phom rak yai.
Vietnam
Word: bà
Pronunciation: bah
Uses: General word for grandmother.
Example: Bà ở nhà.
Example: Con thương bà.
Indonesia
Word: nenek
Pronunciation: neh-nek
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Nenek di rumah.
Example: Saya sayang nenek.
Philippines
Word: lola
Pronunciation: loh-lah
Uses: Used for grandmother.
Example: Nandito si lola.
Example: Mahal ko si lola.
Malaysia
Word: nenek
Pronunciation: neh-nek
Uses: Standard word for grandmother.
Example: Nenek ada di rumah.
Example: Saya suka nenek.
Singapore
Word: nenek
Pronunciation: neh-nek
Uses: Common Malay word for grandmother.
Example: Nenek di sini.
Example: Saya sayang nenek.
India
Word: dadi
Pronunciation: dah-dee
Uses: Used for father’s mother.
Example: Dadi ghar par hain.
Example: Main dadi se milta hoon.
Pakistan
Word: dadi
Pronunciation: dah-dee
Uses: Used for grandmother on father’s side.
Example: Dadi ghar mein hain.
Example: Mujhe dadi pasand hain.
Bangladesh
Word: dadi
Pronunciation: dah-dee
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Dadi bari te.
Example: Ami dadi ke bhalobashi.
Sri Lanka
Word: aachchi
Pronunciation: ach-chee
Uses: Used for grandmother.
Example: Aachchi gedara innawa.
Example: Mama aachchiṭa adarei.
Nepal
Word: bajai
Pronunciation: bah-jai
Uses: Common word for grandmother.
Example: Bajai ghar ma hunuhuncha.
Example: Ma bajai lai maya garchu.
Iran
Word: madarbozorg
Pronunciation: mah-dar-bo-zorg
Uses: Formal word for grandmother.
Example: Madarbozorg khane ast.
Example: Man madarbozorg ra dust daram.
Israel
Word: savta
Pronunciation: sav-tah
Uses: Common family word.
Example: Savta ba-bayit.
Example: Ani ohevet et savta.
Saudi Arabia
Word: jadda
Pronunciation: jad-dah
Uses: Arabic word for grandmother.
Example: Al jadda fil bayt.
Example: Ana uhibbu al jadda.
United Arab Emirates
Word: jadda
Pronunciation: jad-dah
Uses: Used in daily family speech.
Example: Al jadda huna.
Example: Nahnu nuhibbu al jadda.
Egypt
Word: jadda
Pronunciation: jad-dah
Uses: Common Arabic family word.
Example: Al jadda fi al bayt.
Example: Ana bahib el jadda.
Morocco
Word: jadda
Pronunciation: jad-dah
Uses: Used for grandmother in Arabic.
Example: Al jadda hna.
Example: Kanbghi jadda.
Kenya
Word: bibi
Pronunciation: bee-bee
Uses: Swahili word for grandmother.
Example: Bibi yuko nyumbani.
Example: Ninampenda bibi.
Nigeria
Word: kaka
Pronunciation: kah-kah
Uses: Used in some local languages for grandmother.
Example: Kaka tana gida.
Example: Ina son kaka.
Ghana
Word: nana
Pronunciation: nah-nah
Uses: Used for grandmother and elders.
Example: Nana wɔ fie.
Example: Me dɔ nana.
South Africa
Word: gogo
Pronunciation: go-go
Uses: Used for grandmother in many local languages.
Example: Gogo usekhaya.
Example: Ngiyamthanda ugogo.
Uganda
Word: bibi
Pronunciation: bee-bee
Uses: Swahili word for grandmother.
Example: Bibi ali wano.
Example: Nkunda bibi.
Tanzania
Word: bibi
Pronunciation: bee-bee
Uses: Common family word in Swahili.
Example: Bibi yupo hapa.
Example: Tunampenda bibi.
Australia
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Standard English word.
Example: My grandmother lives here.
Example: I help my grandmother.
New Zealand
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Common family word in English.
Example: My grandmother is happy.
Example: I called my grandmother.
Ireland
Word: grandmother
Pronunciation: gran-muh-ther
Uses: Normal English family word.
Example: My grandmother is kind.
Example: I visit my grandmother.
Austria
Word: Oma
Pronunciation: oh-mah
Uses: Friendly word for grandmother.
Example: Meine Oma ist da.
Example: Ich mag meine Oma.
Switzerland
Word: Oma
Pronunciation: oh-mah
Uses: Common word in German-speaking areas.
Example: Oma ist zu Hause.
Example: Ich besuche Oma.
Belgium
Word: oma
Pronunciation: oh-mah
Uses: Used in Dutch-speaking families.
Example: Oma is hier.
Example: Ik zie oma.
Conclusion
Learning how to say grandmother in different languages helps you understand family words from many cultures. This simple word shows love, respect, and connection between people around the world.
