nain
/nai̯n/
nain is the Welsh word for grandmother.
nain is used to refer to one's grandmother.
How do you pronounce it?
/nai̯n/
Did you know?
- The word nain is thought to be imitative of the sounds a small child makes when learning to speak. This makes the term a piece of 'baby talk' that has survived for thousands of years into modern Welsh.
- Welsh uses a system of mutation where the first letter of a word changes based on the word preceding it, but nain typically retains its initial 'n' in most common phrases.
- In some dialects of Welsh, you may hear the word nanni as a more diminutive or affectionate variation of nain.
Examples in context
- Mae fy nain yn gwrach.My grandmother is a witch.
- Dw i'n mynd i weld fy nain.I am going to see my grandmother.
Example conversation
Dylan and Sian are talking about their weekend plans.
- DylanBeth ydych chi'n wneud y penwyau?What are you doing this weekend?
- SianDw i'n mynd i ymweld â nain.I am going to visit grandma.
- DylanBle mae hi'n byw?Where does she live?
- SianMae nain yn byw yn Aberystwyth.Grandmother lives in Aberystwyth.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
