abuela
/aˈbwela/feminine
The English word grandmother is translated into Spanish as abuela.
abuela is a feminine noun used to refer to the mother of someone's parent. It is the most widely recognized and accepted way to say grandmother in Spanish.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The diminutive form abuelita is a common, affectionate way to say grandma or granny.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form of the word is abuelo. To refer to a group consisting only of grandmothers, use the feminine plural abuelas. To refer to grandparents as a group, use the masculine plural abuelos. Because abuela is a feminine noun, it is preceded by the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈbwela/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American cultures, calling an elderly woman abuela is a mark of deep respect even if you are not related to her.
- The word abuela comes from the Late Latin aviola, which was a diminutive form of the Latin word avia.
- While abuela is the standard term, some regions use yaya as a common, endearing way to say 'grandma'.
Examples in context
- Mi abuela me crio.I was brought up by my grandmother.This sentence is useful for talking about being raised by your abuela.Tatoeba #1088498 by Shishir, translation #259157 by CK
- Esta es mi abuela.This is my grandmother.This sentence is useful for introducing your abuela.Tatoeba #1744492 by Shishir, translation #1744424 by Djef_Messaoudi
- Mary es mi abuela.Mary is my grandmother.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your abuela.Tatoeba #8005632 by Seael, translation #6645848 by CK
- Mi querida abuela, ¿cómo estás hoy?My dear grandmother, how are you today?
- Fui a visitar a mi abuela el fin de semana pasado.I visited my grandmother last weekend.
- ¿Puedes ayudarme, abuelita?Can you help me, grandmother?
- Mi abuelita cocina la mejor comida.My grandmother cooks the best food.
- Fui al parque con mi abuelita.I went to the park with my grandmother.
- ¿Vienes a visitarnos, abuelita?Are you coming to visit us, grandmother?
- Abuela, ¿me cuentas una historia?Grandma, will you tell me a story?
- 152 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are talking about their families at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Viene tu abuela a la fiesta?Is your grandmother coming to the party?
- MaríaSí, mi abuela vendrá con mis padres.Yes, my grandmother will come with my parents.
- AlejandroQué bueno, me encanta saludarla.That's great, I love greeting her.
- MaríaElla también tiene muchas ganas de verte.She is also looking forward to seeing you.
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.
