vovó
/vɔˈvɔ/masculine
The English word grandma is vovó in Portuguese.
vovó is an endearing and informal way to say grandma.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
Which one should you use?
The form vovó is the affectionate, informal way to say grandma, whereas avó is the standard, more formal term for grandmother. The masculine counterpart to the affectionate vovó is vovô.
How does it change in a sentence?
The distinction between the feminine vovó and the masculine vovô is marked by the change from the closed ó sound to the closed ô sound.
How do you pronounce it?
/vɔˈvɔ/
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the word vovó is often used to describe a woman who is an elder in the community or a maternal figure, even if she is not the speaker's biological grandmother.
- Because vovó is a reduplicated word, it follows a pattern of linguistic 'baby talk' often used in Portuguese to make a word sound more rhythmic and sweet.
- The term vovó is so much more common in spoken, daily Portuguese than the formal avó that using the formal version in a casual setting can actually make you sound distant or cold.
Examples in context
- Passei o fim de semana com a vovó.I spent the weekend with my grandma.This sentence is useful for describing spending time with vovó.Tatoeba #1126081 by alexmarcelo, translation #1123130 by Eldad
- A vovó não gostava de pensar nisso.Grandma didn't like to think about that.This sentence is useful for describing how vovó felt about a certain topic.Tatoeba #13932427 by Gold, translation #13932349 by Tom9358
- Não foi assim que a vovó fez o recheio.That's not the way Grandma made stuffing.This sentence is useful for describing how vovó made a specific food item.Tatoeba #8238895 by josivangoncalves, translation #8154938 by AlanF_US
- Vovó, posso ajudar com alguma coisa?Grandma, can I help with anything?
- Oi, vó! Como foi o seu dia?Hi, grandma! How was your day?
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Camila are talking about a gift for their grandmother.
- GabrielO que vamos dar para a vovó?What are we going to give to grandma?
- CamilaEu acho que ela vai amar esse colar.I think she will love this necklace.
- GabrielA vovó é muito elegante.Grandma is very elegant.
- CamilaSim, ela sempre usa acessórios lindos.Yes, she always wears beautiful accessories.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandma” translations and entries vovó, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vovó, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
