A colorful storybook illustration showing an elderly woman, a grandmother, sitting in a rocking chair and warmly reading a book to a young child sitting on her lap.

abuela

/ah-BWEH-lah/

NounfA1

grandmother?The mother of one's parent.

Also:grandma?A more informal, common equivalent.,granny?Affectionate and informal.

📝 In Action

Mi abuela vive en México.

My grandmother lives in Mexico.

¿Vamos a visitar a la abuela este fin de semana?

Are we going to visit grandma this weekend?

La abuela de mi amigo es de Argentina y cocina muy bien.

My friend's grandmother is from Argentina and cooks very well.

Word Connections

Synonyms

abuelita (granny, grandma (affectionate))
yaya (granny (childish, Spain))

Antonyms

nieta (granddaughter)

Common Collocations

la casa de la abuela – grandmother's house
receta de la abuela – grandmother's recipe

Idioms & Expressions

cuéntaselo a tu abuela – I don't believe you; tell it to someone who'll listen.

💡 Grammar Points

A Feminine Word

Because 'abuela' ends in '-a', it's a 'feminine' word. This just means you'll use 'la' or 'una' before it. For example, 'la abuela' means 'the grandmother'.

The Personal 'a'

When your grandmother is the one receiving an action (like you are visiting her), you need to add the small word 'a' right before her. For example: 'Visito a mi abuela.' (I visit my grandmother).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Masculine vs. Feminine

Mistake: "Mi abuelo es mi mamá's mamá."

Correction: Mi abuela es la mamá de mi mamá. 'Abuela' is for grandmother, and 'abuelo' is for grandfather.

⭐ Usage Tips

Sounding More Affectionate

In everyday, loving conversation, people often say 'abuelita' or even shorten it to 'abue'. It’s like saying 'grandma' or 'granny' instead of the more formal 'grandmother'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: abuela

Question 1 of 1

If you want to say 'I'm going to my grandma's house,' which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

abuelo(grandfather) - noun

abuelos(grandparents) - noun

bisabuela(great-grandmother) - noun

tatarabuela(great-great-grandmother) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'abuela' and 'abuelita'?

'Abuela' is the standard word for 'grandmother'. 'Abuelita' is a more affectionate, informal version, like saying 'grandma' or 'granny'. You'll hear 'abuelita' very often in family settings and it shows warmth.

How do you say 'grandparents'?

You say 'los abuelos'. In Spanish, when you have a mixed-gender group (a grandfather and a grandmother), you use the masculine plural form to refer to them as a pair.