How to Say Grandmother in Japanese

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‘Grandmother’ is one of those terms that is notorious for differing from family to family. You have granny, gran, nana, nonna, mimi, grammy… the list goes on.

Luckily, in Japanese, there are only a couple of words that are used to say ‘grandmother’. Just learn these few terms and you will be up to speed!

Obaasan

お婆さん　

Grandmother

Obaasan (お婆さん / おばあさん) is the standard way to say ‘grandmother’ in Japanese. It is usually spelled the latter way, in hiragana.

There are a few variations of obaasan depending on the family’s preference. Some people leave out the honorific ‘o’ and simply refer to their grandmothers as basaan. Others opt for the honorific suffix of chan instead of san, adding a cuteness to the term i.e obaachan or baachan.

This term is the perfect balance of formal and informal. It is casual, yet polite. You can use this term and its variations when addressing your own grandmother, and even when speaking about someone else’s grandmother.

Sobo

祖母

Grandmother (formal)

Sobo (祖母 / そぼ) is the more formal way to say grandmother. You would use this polite word not directly to your grandmother but when talking about her to other people, such as your co-workers.

Baaba

ばあば

Granny / nana

Baaba (ばあば) is what young children usually refer to their grandparents as! Simply due to the fact that it is easier for babies to pronounce baaba before they can manage to say obaachan. That being said, this adorable term of endearment often sticks and lasts well into adulthood. I myself still address my grandmother as baaba as I think it is such a cute and sweet nickname!

Things to note

The standard word for ‘grandmother’, obaasan, can also be used to refer to any elderly, grandmother-aged woman. That is another reason why, when you speak of your own grandmother it is useful to say sobo, to avoid this confusion.

Example:

Obaasan ga doori wo wataru no wo tasukemashita
おばあさんが通りを渡るのを助けました
おばあさんがどおりをわたるのをたすけました
I helped an old woman cross the road

The Japanese word for ‘aunt’ is obasan (叔母さん / おばさん). Although very similar to ‘grandmother’, it has a shorter ‘a’ sound, compared to the elongated obaasan. Context clues and careful pronunciation will help you to avoid mixing up the two!

Going one step further… How does one refer to their grandmother’s mother, their ‘great-grandmother’? Well, when speaking directly to your great-grandmother, you can call her hii (pronounced hee) baasan (曾祖母さん / ひいばあさん). On the other hand, when speaking about your great-grandmother to others, opt for the term sousobo (曽祖母 / そうそぼ).

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Hannah Stafford

Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!