abuela
/aˈbwela/feminine
The Spanish word for grandmother is abuela.
abuela is a noun used to refer to the mother of someone's parent.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Which one should you use?
While abuela is the standard term, abuelita is a diminutive form used to express affection. When referring to a group of grandmothers, use the plural form abuelas.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more affectionate or informal way to say grandma or granny, you can use abuelita.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the informal abuelita may be shortened to abue.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form abuelos is used to refer to a group of grandparents (both a grandmother and a grandfather). The plural form abuelas is used specifically when referring to a group consisting only of grandmothers.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈbwela/
Did you know?
- The word abuela comes from the Late Latin aviola, which was a diminutive form of avia, meaning 'grandmother'.
- While abuela is the standard, some families use the term nona in certain regions, influenced by Italian immigrant communities in countries like Argentina.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to use abuela as a term of endearment for an elderly woman even if you are not related to her.
Examples in context
- Mi abuela me crio.I was brought up by my grandmother.This sentence shows how to use abuela when talking about being raised by a grandmother.Tatoeba #1088498 by Shishir, translation #259157 by CK
- Esta es mi abuela.This is my grandmother.This sentence uses abuela to introduce someone as your grandmother.Tatoeba #1744492 by Shishir, translation #1744424 by Djef_Messaoudi
- Mary es mi abuela.Mary is my grandmother.This sentence uses abuela to identify Mary as a grandmother.Tatoeba #8005632 by Seael, translation #6645848 by CK
- Mucho gusto, Señora López. ¿Cómo está su abuela?Nice to meet you, Mrs. López. How is your grandmother doing?
- ¡Hola abuelita! ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hello grandma! How are you today?
- 152 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking at a cafe about family.
- Daniel¿Cómo está tu abuela, Lucía?How is your grandmother, Lucía?
- LucíaMi abuela está muy bien, gracias.My grandmother is very well, thank you.
- DanielMe alegra mucho escuchar eso.I am very happy to hear that.
- LucíaEres muy amable, Daniel.You are very kind, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandmother” translations and entries abuela, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abuela, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
