How to Say "Grandmother" in Finnish

isoäiti

/ˈisoˌæi̯ti/

The Finnish word for grandmother is isoäiti. Wiktionary also lists mummi and mummo.

Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)

Ways to say it

The term for grandmother in Finnish can vary depending on whether you are describing a biological relationship or using an affectionate nickname.

The word isoäiti is a compound of iso, meaning old or big and äiti, meaning mother.

While isoäiti is the formal, biological term for grandmother, mummi and mummo are more affectionate terms used by children.

/ˈisoˌæi̯ti/

Finnish allows for extreme precision in family trees, such as using äidinäiti for a maternal grandmother and isänäiti for a paternal grandmother.
In some Finnish contexts, mummo can be used as a gentle or slightly teasing way to describe an elderly woman who is not actually the speaker's grandmother.
The term äidinäiti uses the genitive case for the first part of the word, literally meaning 'mother's mother'.

Mari on Tomin isoäiti.
Mary is Tom's grandmother.
This sentence shows how to identify a person's relationship using isoäiti.
Tatoeba #6581782 by Orava, translation #1030066 by CK
Isoäitini neuloi sen käsin.
My grandmother knit that by hand.
This sentence uses isoäiti to describe an action performed by a grandmother.
Tatoeba #3844098 by Silja, translation #3832021 by CK
Isoäitini tapasi sanoa niin.
My grandmother used to say that.
This sentence uses isoäiti to refer to something a grandmother used to say.
Tatoeba #7859470 by Orava, translation #6018464 by mailohilohi
Isoäiti, voisitko auttaa minua neulomaan?
Grandmother, could you help me knit?
Käyn joka viikko tapaamassa mummoani.
I visit my grandmother every week.
Käynpä vierailemassa mummin luona tänään.
I'm going to visit grandma today.
36 more sentences on Tatoeba

Anna and Matti are talking about their family history.

Sources

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