祖母
sobo[so̞bo̞]
The Japanese word 祖母 (sobo) means grandmother.
祖母 is used to refer to one's own grandmother. It is a humble term used when describing your family members in a polite or formal context.
Which one should you use?
While 祖母 is used to refer to your own grandmother in formal settings, other terms like baachan or O-baa-chan are used to refer to a grandmother in a more affectionate or respectful way.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
祖母 is a formal and humble term suitable for polite conversation or writing. In contrast, baachan is an informal term used affectionately, often by children, while O-baa-chan acts as a more respectful version of baachan, balancing informality with politeness.
How do you pronounce it?
sobo
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the word obāchan is often used to address any elderly woman, even a complete stranger, regardless of whether she is actually a grandmother.
- Using 祖母 to refer to someone else's grandmother is a major social blunder, because the term is strictly a 'humble' word used only to describe your own family members.
- In Japanese, there are distinct words for your paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother, though sobo can be used as a general term for either in formal contexts.
Examples in context
- 祖母はとても元気です。Sobo wa totemo genki desu.My grandmother is very healthy.
- 祖母の手料理が食べたいです。Sobo no te-ryori ga tabetai desu.I want to eat my grandmother's cooking.
- 私の祖母は料理が得意です。Watashi no sobo wa ryouri ga tokui desu.My grandmother is good at cooking.
Example conversation
Misaki shows Ren a photo of her family.
- 美咲 Misakiこの人は私の祖母です。Kono hito wa watashi no sobo desu.This person is my grandmother.
- 蓮 Renとても優しい顔をしていますね。Totemo yasashii kao o shite imasu ne.She has a very kind face.
- 美咲 Misakiはい、とても優しい人です。Hai, totemo yasashii hito desu.Yes, she is a very kind person.
- 蓮 Ren美咲さんに似ていますね。Misaki-san ni nite imasu ne.She looks like you, Misaki.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 祖母, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
