祖父母
sofubo[so̞ɸɯ̟bo̞]
The English phrase "grandmother and grandfather" is translated into Japanese as 祖父母 (sofubo).
祖父母 is a collective term used to refer to the parents of one's father or mother.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 祖, meaning ancestor or founder and 父母, meaning parents.
Which one should you use?
祖父母 is used when filling out official forms or speaking in a formal, clinical or academic context. In contrast, when referring to them in casual conversation, the phrase おじいさんとおばあさん is more common.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
祖父母 serves as a formal or technical term often used in documents or when describing one's own grandparents to others. For a more polite and common way to refer to them in everyday conversation, use おじいさんとおばあさん.
How does it change in a sentence?
祖父母 is a noun that does not change its form for pluralization.
How do you pronounce it?
sofubo
Did you know?
- While 祖父母 is the formal term, Japanese speakers often use おじいさん and おばあさん for elderly strangers, even if they are not related to them.
- When speaking about their own grandparents to others, Japanese people may use 祖父母 to show humility, as using polite honorifics for one's own family in a formal setting is generally avoided.
- In many Japanese households, children may use specific titles like おじいちゃん and おばあちゃん instead of the more formal おじいさんとおばあさん.
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are talking about their family plans.
- 陽太 Yota今度の休みは何をするの？Kondo no yasumi wa nani o suru no?What are you doing this coming holiday?
- 陽葵 Himari祖父母と一緒に旅行に行くよ。Sofubo to issho ni ryokō ni iku yo.I am going on a trip with my grandparents.
- 陽太 Yotaそれはいいですね。Sore wa ii desu ne.That sounds nice.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太君も一緒に行かない？Yōta-kun mo issho ni ikanai?Do you want to come along too, Yota?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 祖父母, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
