bà
[ʔɓaː˨˩]
bà is the Vietnamese word for grandma.
bà is used to mean grandmother, but it can also be used as a respectful way to address or refer to any elderly woman, even if she is not your biological grandmother.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bà is a general term for grandmother, you can use more specific terms to clarify which side of the family you are referring to. Use bà nội specifically for your paternal grandmother (your father's mother) and bà ngoại specifically for your maternal grandmother (your mother's mother).
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring to a grandmother in the third person, it is common to add the pronoun ấy to the word to create bà ấy, which means 'she' or 'that grandmother'.
Did you know?
- While bà means 'grandma', the word nội refers to the 'inside' of the family and ngoại refers to the 'outside'. This distinguishes whether the grandmother is on the father's side or the mother's side.
- Using the word bà to address someone much younger than yourself can actually be perceived as an insult or a way of mocking them by calling them old.
- In some historical or formal contexts, bà was used as a title for noblewomen or the wives of high-ranking officials, similar to 'Lady' in English.
Examples in context
- Bà tôi luôn thức dậy sớm vào buổi sáng.My grandma always wakes up early in the morning.This sentence shows how to use bà when talking about a grandmother's morning routine.Tatoeba #11303228 by chaule3, translation #11303225 by chaule3
- Ngay cả bà của tôi còn có thể gởi tin nhắn nữa là.Even my grandma can send an SMS.This sentence uses bà to describe a grandmother's ability to use technology.Tatoeba #1575370 by trieuho, translation #943807 by Scott
- Bà ơi, bà muốn ăn gì ạ?Grandma, what would you like to eat?
Example conversation
A grandson and granddaughter are visiting their grandmother at home.
- NamBà ơi, bà có mệt không?Grandma, are you tired?
- MaiBà không mệt, cảm ơn hai cháu.I am not tired, thank you both.
- NamĐể cháu lấy nước cho bà nhé.Let me get some water for you, grandma.
- MaiBà cảm ơn Nam và Mai nhé.Thank you, Nam and Mai.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bà, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
