おばあちゃん
obāchan
The English word "grandma" is translated into Japanese as おばあちゃん (obāchan).
おばあちゃん is an endearing and informal term for grandmother. It is commonly used by children to address their own grandmother directly, or by adults when speaking affectionately about their grandmother.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
Which one should you use?
おばあちゃん is an affectionate, informal term used for one's own grandmother or a close elderly woman. In contrast, おばあさん is a more polite and respectful way to refer to an elderly woman or a grandmother. ばあちゃん is also an informal way to say grandma.
How do you pronounce it?
obāchan
Did you know?
- While おばあちゃん means 'grandma', calling a woman this to her face can sometimes be seen as an insult because it emphasizes her old age.
- In some traditional households, a child might call their grandmother おばあちゃん but refer to her as 祖母 'sobo' when speaking to outsiders.
- The diminutive suffix ちゃん in おばあちゃん is often used by adults towards friends or lovers to sound 'cute', even if there is no familial connection.
Examples in context
- おばあちゃん、食べましょう。Let's eat, Grandma.This sentence shows how to use おばあちゃん when addressing a grandmother directly.Tatoeba #10187687 by small_snow, translation #10115165 by JumJum
- 僕、おばあちゃんのことが大好きなんだ。I love my grandma.This sentence demonstrates how to express affection for おばあちゃん.Tatoeba #10187692 by small_snow, translation #10006670 by DJ_Saidez
- 「おばあちゃんは？」「ソファで寝てるよ」"Where is Grandma?" "She's sleeping on the couch."This sentence shows how to use おばあちゃん when asking about her location.Tatoeba #2826605 by tommy_san, translation #1365639 by CK
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two siblings are talking about their weekend plans.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮、おばあちゃんに電話した？Ren, obaachan ni denwa shita?Ren, did you call grandma?
- 蓮 Renうん、さっきおばあちゃんと話したよ。Un, sakki obaachan to hanashita yo.Yeah, I talked to grandma a bit ago.
- 陽葵 Himari陽葵も今度、おばあちゃんに会いたいな。Himari mo kondo, obaachan ni aitai na.Himari wants to see grandma soon, too.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、週末におばあちゃんの家へ行こう。Jaa, shuumatsu ni obaachan no ie e ikou.Then, let's go to grandma's house this weekend.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
