Mi madre, mi abuela
My mother, my grandmother...
In an argument, a man insists that he adores women and starts his list with his mother and then mi abuela.
From Suits · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "grandma" in Spanish
la abuela
nounfeminineplural: las abuelasgrandpa: el abuelo
"Grandma" in Spanish is la abuela. The same word covers grandmother, and for something as warm as granny, people say abuelita. Grandma and grandpa together are los abuelos.
Hear "abuela" in real movie scenes
Two people talking about their own grandmother. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Sí, es, es mi abuela
Yeah, it's, it's my grandma...
Someone has to say no to an invitation because it's grandma's big day, and es mi abuela is all the reason needed.
From Siempre hay tiempo para reír · Spanish audio
Grandma words in Spanish
From abuela to great-grandma, plus the word for what she calls you.
| Spanish | English | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| la abuela | grandmother, grandma | One word for both. With your own: mi abuela. |
| la abuelita | granny, grandma | The -ita ending makes it warm and affectionate. |
| los abuelos | grandparents | Grandma and grandpa together take the masculine plural. |
| la bisabuela | great-grandmother | Bis- adds one more generation, like great- in English. |
| la abuela materna / paterna | maternal / paternal grandmother | Use these when you need to say which side of the family. |
| la nieta, el nieto | granddaughter, grandson | What your grandma calls you. |
Tip: To say "at grandma's" or "to grandma's", use casa: en casa de la abuela, a casa de la abuela.
Grammar: la abuela, los abuelos
Four points for talking about your grandparents.
Grandma and grandpa
la abuela is grandma, el abuelo is grandpa. Switch the ending and the article.A mixed pair is masculine
Your grandma and grandpa together are mis abuelos. Only two or more grandmothers are mis abuelas.No 's in Spanish
Grandma's house is la casa de la abuela. The owner comes after de.Talking to her
About her: mi abuela. When you call her, drop the article: ¡Abuela, ven!Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Mi abuela vive en un pueblo.
My grandma lives in a village.
Mi abuela tiene sesenta y cinco años.
My grandma is sixty-five.
Oh, ¿es para tu abuela?
Oh, is it for your grandma?
Esta obra es de mi abuela.
My grandma made this piece.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗la abuela casa (meaning grandma's house)
✓la casa de la abuela
Put the thing first, then de and the owner.
✗mis abuelas (meaning grandma and grandpa)
✓mis abuelos
A man and a woman together take the masculine plural.
✗ah-boo-EH-lah (pronunciation)
✓ah-BWEH-lah
The u and e glide into one syllable.
Real conversation: a text from grandma
A short dialog on a coffee break at work.
On a coffee break, your new coworker Beatriz notices you smiling at your phone.
¿Quién te escribe?
Who's texting you?
Es mi abuela.
It's my grandma.
¿Tu abuela escribe en el móvil?
Your grandma texts on her phone?
Your turn to answer
In the app you reply in Spanish for the last 2 lines.
Continue the conversation in WordyPractice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
The other 33 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Abuela sounds a little like "a bowl-a". Picture grandma handing you a big bowl of soup.
Questions about "grandma" in Spanish
How do you say grandma in Spanish?
La abuela. "My grandma" is mi abuela, and an affectionate version is abuelita.
What's the difference between abuela and abuelita?
They mean the same person. Abuelita adds the -ita ending, which makes it warmer, close to granny.
How do you say grandparents in Spanish?
Los abuelos. The masculine plural covers grandma and grandpa together.
How do you say "grandma's house" in Spanish?
La casa de la abuela, or la casa de mi abuela for your own. To say you're going there: Voy a casa de mi abuela.
