Japanese Conversation · Level 2
86 words
Japanese word
おばあさん
Pronunciation
Romajiobāsan
Meaning
- noungrandmother
Example
おばあさんに電話をかけます。o bā sa n ni den wa o ka ke ma su
I will call my grandmother.
More examples
週末におばあさんを訪ねます。shū matsu ni o bā sa n o tazu ne ma su
I will visit my grandmother on the weekend.
Core concept
It refers to an older female family member and can also address an older woman politely.
Common phrases
おばあさんに電話をかけるo bā sa n ni den wa o ka ke ru
call one's grandmother
おばあさんの家o bā sa n no ie
grandmother's house
おばあさんと話すo bā sa n to hana su
talk with one's grandmother
Similar words
おばあちゃんobāchan: A familiar and affectionate term for one's grandmother.
祖母sobo: A formal term for one's grandmother, mainly used when speaking about her to others.
Definition in Japanese
祖母、または年配の女性を親しみや敬意を込めて呼ぶ語。so bo ma ta wa nen pai no jo sei o shita shi mi ya kei i o ko me te yo bu go
Word origin
The native Japanese word おばあさん (obāsan) combines お (o, "an honorific prefix") with 婆さん (bāsan, "grandmother" or "old woman"), with さん (san) as a respectful suffix.
Usage tips
- When addressing an unfamiliar older woman, おばあさん (obāsan) can sound respectful, but using it for a stranger may still feel too direct depending on the context.
Other meanings
- old womannoun