vovó
/vɔˈvɔ/masculine
The Portuguese word for grandma is vovó.
vovó is an endearing and informal term used to refer to a grandmother, emphasizing affection.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
Which one should you use?
While vovó is the informal and endearing way to say grandma, avó is the standard and more formal term for grandmother. If you are referring to a grandpa, the masculine counterpart is vovô.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the word vovózinha can be used to further emphasize love and endearment towards a grandmother.
How does it change in a sentence?
vovó is a feminine noun and requires feminine articles such as a or uma when used in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/vɔˈvɔ/
When do people say it?
Beyond vovó, the shortened form Vó is also a very popular and affectionate way to say grandma in Portuguese.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, it is common to see vovó used in the names of traditional sweets and homemade recipes, signaling a 'homemade' or 'authentic' quality.
- Portuguese has a specific word for a great-grandmother, bisavó, and the prefix bis- is used to denote the second generation of ancestors.
- While vovó is affectionate, using the formal avó in a casual family setting can sometimes be perceived as cold or distant.
Examples in context
- Passei o fim de semana com a vovó.I spent the weekend with my grandma.This sentence shows how to use vovó when talking about spending time with a grandmother.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 demonstrates using vovó as a subject in a sentence.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 illustrates using vovó when describing how a grandmother performed an action.Tatoeba #8238895 by josivangoncalves, translation #8154938 by AlanF_US
- A vovó sempre me contava histórias encantadoras quando eu era criança.Grandma always told me charming stories when I was a child.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Lucas are talking in the living room.
- CamilaLucas, você ligou para a vovó?Lucas, did you call grandma?
- LucasAinda não, Camila, mas vou ligar.Not yet, Camila, but I will call.
- CamilaEla quer falar com você.She wants to talk to you.
- LucasVou falar com a vovó agora.I will talk to grandma now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandma” translations and entries vovó, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
