grand-mère
/ɡʁɑ̃.mɛʁ/feminine
The English word 'grandmother' is translated into French as grand-mère. Wiktionary also lists aïeule.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| grand-mère | /ɡʁɑ̃.mɛʁ/ | feminine |
| aïeule | /a.jœl/ | feminine |
The term is used to refer to the mother of someone's parent.
Which one should you use?
While grand-mère is the standard term, aïeule is a much more formal or literary option used to refer to a female ancestor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
grand-mère is the standard way to say grandmother. For an informal and affectionate way to say 'grandma' or 'granny', you can use mamie.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Quebec, Canada, grand-maman is used to refer to a grandmother. In certain areas of France, particularly in Provence and some rural regions, mémé is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, both the adjective and the noun take an 's', resulting in grands-mères.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡʁɑ̃.mɛʁ/
Did you know?
- The formal word aïeule is derived from the Late Latin aviola, which was a diminutive form of avia.
- If you use the term mémé in a modern city, it might sound quite old-fashioned or even slightly derogatory, as it is strongly associated with rural or very elderly figures.
- In French, the masculine version of aïeule is aïeul, but in literary contexts, the masculine plural aïeux is often used to refer to all ancestors regardless of gender.
Examples in context
- Où est ta grand-mère ?Where's your grandmother?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of a grand-mère.Tatoeba #7465582 by tras, translation #7464499 by CK
- Ma grand-mère est morte.My grandmother died.This sentence is useful for stating that a grand-mère has died.Tatoeba #8357473 by zarisi, translation #2486586 by Hybrid
- Je connais ma grand-mère.I know my grandmother.This sentence is useful for saying that you know a grand-mère.Tatoeba #11963933 by Amastan, translation #8319068 by Amastan
- Je suis très fière de ma grand-mère.I am very proud of my grandmother.
- J'adore aller chez ma mamie le dimanche.I love going to my grandma's on Sundays.
- Ma grand-maman me prépare toujours de délicieux biscuits.My grandmother always makes me delicious cookies.
- On va passer le weekend chez mémé.We're going to spend the weekend at grandma's.
- 185 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are looking at old family photos.
- GabrielC'est ta grand-mère sur cette photo ?Is that your grandmother in this photo?
- LéaOui, c'est ma grand-mère maternelle.Yes, it is my maternal grandmother.
- GabrielElle a l'air très gentille.She looks very kind.
- LéaElle l'est vraiment, je l'adore.She really is, I love her.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandmother” translations and entries grand-mère, aïeule, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aïeule, grand-mère, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
