bisabuelos
/bisabwelos/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'great grandma and great grandpa' is translated as bisabuelos.
The term is used to refer to the parents of one's grandparents.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bisabuelos is a compound of the prefix bi-, meaning twice or double and abuelos, meaning grandparents, literally referring to the 'twice-grandparents'.
Which one should you use?
While bisabuelos is the collective term for great-grandparents, if you are referring specifically to a great-grandmother and a great-grandfather, you use the masculine plural bisabuelos.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form bisabuelo means great-grandfather, and the feminine singular form bisabuela means great-grandmother. The masculine plural form bisabuelos is used to refer to a great-grandmother and a great-grandfather together.
How do you pronounce it?
/bisabwelos/
Did you know?
- The term bisabuelo is occasionally used metaphorically in Spanish to describe an outdated object or a very old piece of technology.
- If you want to address your great-grandparents directly in a warm, familial way, you often add the diminutive suffix -itos, calling them bisabuelitos.
- If you want to refer to your great-great-grandparents, you simply add the prefix tatar- to the word, resulting in tatarabuelos.
Examples in context
- Doña María es mi bisabuela.Doña María is my great grandma.
- Mi bisabuelo es un hombre sabio.My great grandpa is a wise man.
- Mis bisabuelos vivían en el campo.My great grandparents lived in the countryside.
- Tengo una foto de mis bisabuelos.I have a photo of my great grandparents.
- ¿Cómo se llamaban tus bisabuelos?What were your great grandparents' names?
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are looking at an old family photo album.
- Alejandro¿Quiénes son ellos?Who are they?
- MaríaSon mis bisabuelos.They are my great grandparents.
- AlejandroSe ven muy elegantes en la foto.They look very elegant in the photo.
- MaríaSí, era una época muy especial.Yes, it was a very special time.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
