How To Say “Grandma” In Different Languages
Unsplash: Honey Fangs
Grandmothers
— aren't they just the best? One: they know how to bake a batch
of really good chocolate chip cookies. Two: they also know how
to make a very mean apple pie, and if you want vanilla ice cream
on the side, that’s fine too. Three: they even know how to keep
your secrets safe, which is a great thing because secrets are
meant to be hush-hush and not to be broadcasted by parents for
the world to hear. Yes, nothing can beat the essence and feeling
of grandmother's favoritism as this
affection
is as constant as the northern star.
What you call your grandmother might be different from what I
call mine. And, that’s okay because we all have specific,
special names
to call our grandmas. And where you live as well as the language
you speak also play a part in what you call your grandmother. In
fact, there are actually many factors that come into play when
it comes to grandmother
nicknames, that’s just the way it is. Alright, before the extra
hullabaloo
of words, are you curious to know what the rest of the world
calls their grandmother?
- English: grandma, grandmum, grandmother, gran, nan, nana
- French: grand-mère, grand-maman, mamie, mémé
- German: Großmutter (Grossmutter), Oma, Omi, Ömchen, Großmama (Grossmama)
- Korean: 할머니 (halmeoni), 할매 (halmae), 할미 (halmi)
- Japanese: ばあさん (baasan), おばあさん (obaasan), 祖母 (sobo)
- Dutch: oma
- Italian: nonna, nanna, nona, ava, nonnina
- Russian: бабушка (babushka), Бабуся (babusya), Баба (baba), Бабка (babka)
- Spanish: abuela, abuelita, abue, abu, nana, yaya
- Polish: babcia, busia, bubi, babunia, babci
- Greek: γιαγιά (yaya), παραμυθούλα (paramuthoula), γιαγιάκα (yayaka)
- Tagalog: lola, nanang, nanay (can also mean “mother”), nana, nay
- Vietnamese: bà
- Swedish: mormor (to call your mother’s mother), farmor (to call your father’s mother)
- Norwegian: bestemor, mormor (to call your mother’s mother), farmor (to call you father’s mother)
- Brazilian Portuguese: avó, vovó, vovozinha
- Chinese: 奶奶 (nǎi nai, to call your father’s mother), 外婆 (wài pó, to call your mother’s mother), 婆婆 (pópo, to call your mother’s mother), 姥姥 (lǎo lao, to call your mother’s mother), 祖母 (zǔ mǔ, to call your father’s mother)
- Afrikaans: ouma
- Swahili: nyanya, bibi
- Hindi: दादी (daadee), नानी (naanee)
- Indonesian: nenek, oma
- Danish: bedstemor, mormor (to call your mother’s mother), farmor (to call your father’s mother)
- Irish: maimeó
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