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grandma and grandpa

hirashin

hirashin

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Dear native English speakers,

I'm curious about what words you use when calling your grandfather and grandmother. Are grandma (gramma) and grandpa (grampa) the most common? Have you ever heard any other words used?

Hirashin
:-)
 
Well we use the word grannie, gran, gran(d)mom, grandmother. then for grampa, there's gramps, gran(d)dad, grandfather, gran(d)pappy, and I bet a bunch more. Those are the ones I have heard. Hope this helps a bit!
 
Grandpop, or grandpa, is common. Grandmom or grandma is also common. Italian-American families (like mine) sometimes call grandmom "nana" (from Italian nonna, meaning "grandmother").
 
Nana is also popular in the UK for Grandmother.
Some will also add the family name to suit each Grandparent. For example the maternal Grandmother/father would have the surname of Evans, and would be called Grandma/pa Evans. The paternal one could be Smith and be called Grandma/pa Smith.
I did this with both of my Grandmothers. As for my Grandfathers one died when I was about 8, so he was always refered to as Grandad. My other Grandad died when I was about 25 and I usually called him by his first name.
 
Also remember ... in the UK (but not, I suggest in North America), the term "Grannie" or "Gran" is used (or was) for the Grandmother.

ジョン

Edit ... I'm sorry! Just re-read the second post! Beat me to it!
 
Well in Australia a grandma is a "nanna" and and a grandpa is sometimes called "Pop" but its rare to hear these days. "Nanna" is still used but I havent heard someone call their grandpa "Pop" in a while.
 
I've heard lots of the above metioned. But, where I am in the US, the most commen is "grampa" and "gramma" (or maybe it's spelled grandpa and grandma? xD)

haha

But, I'll add one more. My dead grandma was called 'nanna' as said above. but my friend calls her grandpa and grandma "pop-pop" and "mom-mom" hahah

And a lot of times, like that, the name comes from a weird thing. like i call one of my grandpas "bow-bow" lol
 
Although spelled "grandma" and "grandpa" (from "grandmother" and "grandfather"), the sounds usually get assimilated into sounding more like "gramma" and "grampa," and since they're pretty casual terms, people will write the as they pronounce them. I've also heard friends call their grandmother simply "gram."

"Nana" is also a common term, especially depending on the family background and languages spoken.
 
Talking of Nana I forgot to add that in the UK it is shortened to Nan as well.
 
Mycernius said:
Talking of Nana I forgot to add that in the UK it is shortened to Nan as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah its shortened to Nan here too. "I'm going to Nan and Pop's for the holidays". Come to think of it Pop always goes with Nanna or Nan. Sometimes I hear "poppy" as an affectionate way of referring to your grandpa...normally used by young children and teenagers here call their grandpa "Gramps".
 
Slightly off-topic ... but out of genuine interest ...

...this is probably becoming quite confusing for Hirashin!

Perhaps he would let us know if there are as many variations in Japanese for these terms - it's quite fascinating, actually.

(Just a little humour: ... And BTW - I had one close friend who always referred to his Grandmother as "That domineering old b#$ch" ! My mother used the same term of address with regard to my father's mother too ... both of them were correct, if I recall.)

ﾆ淡ﾆ停?｡ﾆ停?
 
Kirakira1232 said:
Well in Australia a grandma is a "nanna" and and a grandpa is sometimes called "Pop" but its rare to hear these days. "Nanna" is still used but I havent heard someone call their grandpa "Pop" in a while.
Click to expand...
My sister's young kids use "Nonna" and "Pops." In that case, Nonna may have been handed down from my mother's nanny. The reason for "Pops" I'm not sure. Not my traditional choice, but it seems to be becoming more common. Better than 'Popsie' or 'Poppy.'... :p
 
Elizabeth said:
My sister's young kids use "Nonna" and "Pops." In that case, Nonna may have been handed down from my mother's nanny. The reason for "Pops" I'm not sure. Not my traditional choice, but it seems to be becoming more common. Better than 'Popsie' or 'Poppy.'... :p
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Nonna I believe is the italian word for grandma. I hear a lot of children of Italian migrants refer to their grandma as "nonna" and grandpa is "nonno".

"Poppy" I think is kind of cute coming from young children...not so cute if an adult calls their grandad "poppy" but still kind of endearing I guess haha.
 
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Thank you for the information

Hello, everyone. I'm Hirashin.

Thank you for giving me all the interesting information.

John the submarine san, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't give you as many variations in Japanese. Japanese children usually call their grandmother either "baachan" or "obaachan" in most cases, and their grandfather "jiichan" or "ojiichan".

Some children might use "jiiji" (not "jijii"), but it's not common. Jijii and babaa are derogatory terms.

Elizabeth, does "nonna" have the same pronunciation as "nanna"?

Hirashin:-)
 
hirashin said:
Elizabeth, does "nonna" have the same pronunciation as "nanna"?
Hirashin:-)
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Hi, Hirashin !
The vowel sounds are what distinguishes them. "Nonna," at least the way we say it, is long 'o' as in 'toe' or 'boat.' "Nanna" I'm less confident of, but a more clipped 'a' like 'father,' maybe ?

Nonna I believe is the italian word for grandma. I hear a lot of children of Italian migrants refer to their grandma as "nonna" and grandpa is "nonno".
Click to expand...
Hehe. Thanks ! That makes it totally clear now where the standard Japanese girl's fashion mag Nonno came from. 😌 My family, sad to say, has no Italian connections so it most likely got passed down through the maternal grandmother's side. Her childhood nurse's personal name or as a reminder of her European origins.
 
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Elizabeth said:
Hi, Hirashin !
The vowel sounds are what distinguishes them. "Nonna," at least the way we say it, is long 'o' as in 'toe' or 'boat.' "Nanna" I'm less confident of, but a more clipped 'a' like 'father,' maybe ?


Hehe. Thanks ! That makes it totally clear now where the standard Japanese girl's fashion mag Non-no came from. 😌 My family, sad to say, has no Italian connections so it most likely got passed down through the maternal grandmother's side. Her childhood nurse's personal name or as a reminder of her European origins.
Click to expand...

Nanna is pronounced like "Anna" but with an "N" in front of it :) A Japanese girl's fashion mag called "nonno"...怖い。。
 
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