Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| お婆さん | obāsan | |
| お婆ちゃん | obāchan | [o̞ba̠ːt͡ɕã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| ばば | baba | [ba̠ba̠] (narrow) |
| 祖母 | sobo | [so̞bo̞] (narrow) |
| 外祖母 | gaisobo |
The term refers to the mother of someone's parent. Depending on the context, it can be used to refer to your own grandmother, someone else's grandmother or even serve as a polite way to address an elderly woman in passing.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on who you are talking about and your relationship to them. 祖母 (sobo) is the standard term used when speaking about your own grandmother to others in formal or polite contexts. In contrast, お婆さん (obāsan) is used when referring to someone else's grandmother or addressing an elderly woman directly. For an affectionate and familiar way to address your own grandmother or a close elderly woman, use お婆ちゃん (obāchan). While 祖母 (sobo) is a general term for a grandmother, 外祖母 (gaisobo) is a specific, rare and formal term for a maternal grandmother (your mother's mother).
How does it change in a sentence?
While 祖母 (sobo) is the general term for a grandmother, 外祖母 (gaisobo) is a more specific formal term used to denote a maternal grandmother.
How do you pronounce it?
obāsan
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ばば (baba), as it is a derogatory or highly impolite way to refer to an elderly woman.
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, お婆さん (obāsan) is often used as a polite way to address a stranger who is an elderly woman, functioning similarly to the English word 'ma'am'.
Did you know?
- While お婆さん (obāsan) is polite, calling a woman who does not look elderly by this term can be taken as a serious insult to her appearance.
- In traditional Japanese family structures, the maternal grandmother was viewed as being 'outside' the primary family lineage, which is why the formal term 外祖母 (gaisobo) literally means 'outside grandmother'.
- The term 祖母 (sobo) contains the character 祖, which shares a historical connection with the concept of 'ancestor' in many East Asian languages.
Examples in context
- 私は祖母に育てられた。I was brought up by my grandmother.This sentence shows how to use 祖母 when being raised by a grandmother.Tatoeba #155381 by bunbuku, translation #259157 by CK
- 私は祖母が大好きです。I love my grandmother very much.This sentence shows how to express affection for one's 祖母.Tatoeba #155382 by bunbuku, translation #259156 by CK
- 彼女は祖母に育てられた。She was brought up by her grandmother.This sentence shows how to use 祖母 in the third person.Tatoeba #88207 by bunbuku, translation #310591 by furagwa
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiroto and Himari are looking at a family photo.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの写真のお婆さんは誰ですか？Kono shashin no obāsan wa dare desu ka?Who is the grandmother in this photo?
- 陽葵 Himari私のお婆さんです。とても優しいですよ。Watashi no obāsan desu. Totemo yasashii desu yo.She is my grandmother. She is very kind.
- 大翔 Hirotoお婆さんはどこに住んでいますか？Obāsan wa doko ni sunde imasu ka?Where does your grandmother live?
- 陽葵 Himari北海道に住んでいます。Hokkaidō ni sunde imasu.She lives in Hokkaido.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandmother” translations and entries お婆さん, お婆ちゃん, ばば, 祖母, 外祖母, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 祖母, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
