جدّ
jeddneutral, standard
The plain word for grandfather is جدّ (jedd). In the family, Lebanese children call their grandfather جدّو (jiddo) or سيدو (sīdo).
Meaning: father of a parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| جدّ | jedd | neutral, standard |
| جدّو | jiddo | family, affectionate |
| سيدو | sīdo | family, affectionate |
جدّ is the neutral word for talking about grandfathers in general. جدّو and سيدو are what a child actually calls him.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Which of جدّو or سيدو a family uses depends on the family and the area, and both are understood across Lebanon.
How does it change in a sentence?
جدّي (jiddi) means "my grandfather". The ending -o on جدّو can also mean "his", so جدّو can be "his grandfather" depending on the sentence.
Did you know?
- الضيعة (ed-ḍayʿa), "the village", is where many Lebanese families still have grandparents, and the word carries a warm, nostalgic feeling.
Examples in context
- جدّي عايش بالضيعةjiddi ʿāyesh bid-ḍayʿaMy grandfather lives in the village.
- جدّو، تعا نلعبjiddo, taʿa nilʿabGrandpa, come let us play.
- سيدو بيحب القهوةsīdo bi-yeḥebb el-ʾahweGrandpa loves coffee.
Example conversation
Little Karim visits his grandfather in a mountain village and finds him on the balcony.
- Karimصباح الخير جدّوṣabāḥ el-khēr jiddoGood morning, grandpa.
- Grandfatherصباح النور حبيبي، تعا اقعد حدّيṣabāḥ en-nūr ḥabībi, taʿa uʾʿod ḥaddiGood morning, my dear, come sit next to me.
- Karimجبتلك قهوةjibtillak ʾahweI brought you coffee.
