grandmother
gb/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/ us/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
A1
English
~ 5100
nagymama
NOUN
A1
1
nagymama
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s grandmother
My grandmother taught me how to bake bread when I was a child.
A nagymamám tanított meg kenyeret sütni, amikor gyerek voltam.
We visit my grandmother every Sunday at her house in the countryside.
Minden vasárnap meglátogatjuk a nagymamámat a vidéki házában.
Her paternal grandmother was born in Italy and moved here as a teenager.
After the ceremony, the bride hugged her grandmother and thanked her for coming.
His grandmother still sends him a birthday card every year.
Learner examples
My grandmother lives in a small town.
A nagymamám egy kisvárosban él.
I call my grandmother every weekend.
Minden hétvégén felhívom a nagymamámat.
His grandmother is 80 years old.
Her grandmother takes care of her after school.
We had dinner with my grandmother last night.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only the informal word "grandma" in all situations, including writing and formal speech. Use "grandmother" in formal or polite contexts, and remember that it is usually used with a possessive word such as "my", "her", or "their" (for example, "my grandmother", not just "grandmother" unless you mean grandmothers in general).
Meaning
mother of your father or mother
Collocations
maternal grandmother
|paternal grandmother
|my grandmother
|loving grandmother
|proud grandmother
|grandmother on my mother's side
Synonyms
grandma (More informal and common in everyday speech, especially with family and friends.)
|
granny (Informal and sometimes dialectal; can sound more childish or affectionate.)
Antonyms
grandfather (Refers to the male counterpart in the same family relationship.)
Themes
family
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The mother of your mother or the mother of your father.
A woman who is the mother of one of your parents, including biological, adoptive, or step relationships.
Grammar
Dictionary form
grandmother
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
US/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
Syllables & stress
grand - moth - er (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (grand)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: grandmother
- Plural: grandmothers
Word family
Forms
grandmothers
noun
Core family
Related words
Advanced or less common
grandmotherly
adjective
Expressions
teach your grandmother to suck eggs
1/tˈit͡ʃ jˈʊɹ ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ tə sˈʌk ˈɛɡz/
idiom
informal
advise someone much more experienced
To give advice to someone who already knows a lot more than you about that thing, so your advice is not needed.
Examples
- You don't need to tell her how to run a classroom; don't try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
- He's been a mechanic for forty years, so I'm not going to teach my grandmother to suck eggs by explaining how an engine works.
- I know you're trying to help, but you're teaching your grandmother to suck eggs here—I've done this many times before.