ma mamie
The English phrase "my grandma" is translated into French as ma mamie.
ma mamie is an affectionate way to refer to one's grandmother.
Which one should you use?
While ma mamie is an affectionate term, ma grand-mère is the standard, neutral term for "my grandmother".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ma mamie is an informal and affectionate term used primarily by children or within families. It is used in informal conversations within the family.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, change ma to mes and add an s to mamie to form mes mamies.
Did you know?
- The term mamie is often paired with a descriptive adjective to create a unique family name, such as mamie gâteau for a grandmother who spoils her grandchildren.
- While mamie is a sweet term for a grandmother, in some French slang contexts, a mamie can colloquially refer to an old woman who is perhaps a bit slow or out of touch.
- In some French households, the distinction between maternal and paternal grandmothers is made by using different nicknames, such as mamie for one and mémé for the other.
Examples in context
- Ma mamie m'a donné ce collier.My grandma gave me this necklace.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ma mamie when talking about a gift.Tatoeba #11318582 by lbdx, translation #2737507 by CM
- Ma mamie est devenue très vieille.My grandma has gotten very old.This sentence is useful for using ma mamie when describing a person's age.Tatoeba #539447 by sacredceltic, translation #533205 by darinmex
- Ce n'est pas ma mamie mais ma maman.She's not my grandma, she's my mom.This sentence is useful for using ma mamie to distinguish between a grandmother and a mother.Tatoeba #946626 by sacredceltic, translation #1556830 by brymck
- J'ai rendu visite à ma grand-mèreI visited my grandma.
- J'adore passer du temps chez ma méméI love spending time at my grandma's.
- Grand-maman, raconte-moi des histoiresGrandma, tell me stories.
- Mamie, tu me manques beaucoup.Grandma, I miss you a lot.
- Je passe l'été chez mémé en Bretagne.I'm spending the summer at grandma's in Brittany.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are looking at a photo album.
- HugoQui est cette dame sur la photo ?Who is this lady in the photo?
- ManonC'est ma mamie, elle est adorable.It is my grandma, she is adorable.
- HugoElle a l'air très gentille.She looks very kind.
- ManonOui, ma mamie est la meilleure.Yes, my grandma is the best.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
