bestemor
feminine, masculine
The Norwegian word for grandmother is bestemor. Wiktionary also lists mormor and farmor.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | Note |
|---|---|
| bestemor | feminine, masculine |
| mormor | feminine, masculine |
| farmor | feminine, masculine |
The term refers to the mother of one's parent.
What does it mean word for word?
The specific terms mormor and farmor are compounds. mormor is a combination of mor (mother) and mor (mother), while farmor is a combination of far (father) and mor (mother).
Which one should you use?
While bestemor is a general term for grandmother, Norwegian uses more specific words to identify which side of the family the grandmother is from. Use mormor to refer specifically to a maternal grandmother (mother's mother) and farmor to refer specifically to a paternal grandmother (father's mother).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, such as Trøndelag, the word Moster is used to address a maternal aunt or can be used as an informal term for a grandmother.
Did you know?
- The word bestemor literally translates to 'best mother'.
Examples in context
- Kjende du bestemor mi?Did you know my grandmother?This sentence is useful for asking if someone knew a specific bestemor.Tatoeba #12491054 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #12466825 by CK
- Kor gamal er bestemor dokkar?How old is your guys' grandmother?This sentence is useful for asking about the age of a group's bestemor.Tatoeba #12472680 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #12472055 by Miktsoanit
- Hun ligner veldig på sin bestemor.She strongly resembles her grandmother.This sentence is useful for describing a resemblance to a bestemor.Tatoeba #2948949 by eirik174, translation #310589 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofie and Kristoffer are looking at an old family photograph.
- SofieHvem er kvinnen på dette bildet?Who is the woman in this picture?
- KristofferDet er min bestemor.That is my grandmother.
- SofieHun ser veldig snill ut.She looks very kind.
- KristofferJa, bestemor var alltid veldig mild.Yes, grandmother was always very gentle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandmother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bestemor, farmor, mormor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
