Grandmothers are special members of the family who show love, kindness, and wisdom. If you’re learning French or visiting a French-speaking country, knowing how to say “grandma” in French can help you connect better with others. It’s a sweet way to talk about or greet your grandmother in everyday conversations.
In this article, we will explore how to say “grandma” in French, discover other common terms, learn responses, and practice with fun exercises. By the end, you’ll be ready to talk about your grandma in French like a native speaker.
Ways to Say “Grandma” in French
There are several ways to say “grandma” in French, depending on the level of formality and the relationship you have with her. Here are 25 common terms with meanings, pronunciations, and example sentences:
1. Mamie
Pronunciation: mah-mee
Meaning: Grandma (affectionate and common)
In a Sentence: Mamie fait toujours les meilleurs gâteaux. (Grandma always makes the best cakes.)
2. Grand-mère
Pronunciation: grahn-mehr
Meaning: Grandmother (formal)
In a Sentence: Ma grand-mère habite à Paris. (My grandmother lives in Paris.)
3. Mémé
Pronunciation: meh-meh
Meaning: Granny (informal and endearing)
In a Sentence: J’adore passer du temps avec Mémé. (I love spending time with Granny.)
4. Bonne-maman
Pronunciation: bun-mah-mahn
Meaning: Dear Grandma (very affectionate)
In a Sentence: Bonne-maman prépare toujours du chocolat chaud. (Dear Grandma always makes hot chocolate.)
5. Mémère
Pronunciation: meh-mehr
Meaning: Old-fashioned term for grandma
In a Sentence: Ma mémère racontait toujours des histoires drôles. (My grandma always told funny stories.)
6. Mamounette
Pronunciation: mah-moo-net
Meaning: Sweet little grandma
In a Sentence: Mamounette adore tricoter des pulls. (Sweet little grandma loves knitting sweaters.)
7. Grand-maman
Pronunciation: grahn-mah-mahn
Meaning: Grandmother (slightly formal)
In a Sentence: Grand-maman nous rend visite chaque été. (Grandmother visits us every summer.)
8. Mamie Chérie
Pronunciation: mah-mee shay-ree
Meaning: Beloved Grandma
In a Sentence: Mamie chérie, je t’aime beaucoup! (Beloved Grandma, I love you very much!)
9. Mamicha
Pronunciation: mah-mee-shah
Meaning: Grandma (affectionate, regional)
In a Sentence: Mamicha fait les meilleures crêpes! (Grandma makes the best crepes!)
10. Nanny
Pronunciation: nah-nee
Meaning: Nanny or grandma (less common)
In a Sentence: Nanny aime lire des contes de fées. (Nanny loves reading fairy tales.)
11. Grand-mère Chérie
Pronunciation: grahn-mehr shay-ree
Meaning: Beloved Grandmother (formal)
In a Sentence: Grand-mère chérie, merci pour tout! (Beloved Grandmother, thank you for everything!)
12. Manou
Pronunciation: mah-noo
Meaning: Grandma (casual and affectionate)
In a Sentence: Manou nous gâte toujours avec des bonbons. (Grandma always spoils us with candy.)
13. Dédée
Pronunciation: day-day
Meaning: Granny (regional)
In a Sentence: Dédée aime les promenades au parc. (Granny loves walks in the park.)
14. Mamoune
Pronunciation: mah-moon
Meaning: Sweet Grandma (affectionate)
In a Sentence: Mamoune prépare des plats délicieux! (Sweet Grandma makes delicious meals!)
15. Mamina
Pronunciation: mah-mee-nah
Meaning: Granny (endearing)
In a Sentence: Mamina me lit une histoire chaque soir. (Granny reads me a story every night.)
16. Grand-mère Bien-Aimée
Pronunciation: grahn-mehr byan-ay-may
Meaning: Beloved Grandmother (very formal)
In a Sentence: Grand-mère bien-aimée, vous êtes notre trésor! (Beloved Grandmother, you are our treasure!)
17. Mamichou
Pronunciation: mah-mee-shoo
Meaning: Cute Grandma (playful)
In a Sentence: Mamichou adore les fleurs du jardin. (Cute Grandma loves the garden flowers.)
18. Mamie d’Amour
Pronunciation: mah-mee dah-moor
Meaning: Grandma of Love (very affectionate)
In a Sentence: Mamie d’amour, tu es la meilleure! (Grandma of love, you are the best!)
19. Grannie
Pronunciation: grah-nee
Meaning: Grandma (informal)
In a Sentence: Grannie m’apprend à faire du tricot. (Granny is teaching me to knit.)
20. Mémé Chérie
Pronunciation: meh-meh shay-ree
Meaning: Sweet Granny (affectionate)
In a Sentence: Mémé chérie me fait toujours rire. (Sweet Granny always makes me laugh.)
21. Mamita
Pronunciation: mah-mee-tah
Meaning: Grandma (borrowed from Spanish)
In a Sentence: Mamita cuisine des plats incroyables! (Grandma cooks amazing dishes!)
22. Mémounette
Pronunciation: meh-moo-net
Meaning: Little Grandma (playful)
In a Sentence: Mémounette adore raconter des histoires. (Little Grandma loves telling stories.)
23. Bonne-Mère
Pronunciation: bun-mehr
Meaning: Kind Grandma (formal, rare)
In a Sentence: Bonne-mère est toujours là pour aider. (Kind Grandma is always there to help.)
24. Mamour
Pronunciation: mah-moor
Meaning: Grandma Darling
In a Sentence: Mamour est la personne la plus gentille que je connaisse. (Grandma Darling is the kindest person I know.)
25. Grand-Maman Chérie
Pronunciation: grahn-mah-mahn shay-ree
Meaning: Beloved Grandma (formal)
In a Sentence: Grand-maman chérie, nous t’aimons beaucoup! (Beloved Grandma, we love you very much!)
Other Ways to Say “Grandma” in French
Here is a table with alternative ways to say “grandma” in French. Each entry includes pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences to help you practice.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Mémère chérie | meh-mehr shay-ree | Sweet Granny | Mémère chérie, tu es la meilleure! (Sweet Granny, you are the best!) |
| Mamie douce | mah-mee doos | Gentle Grandma | Mamie douce raconte de belles histoires. (Gentle Grandma tells beautiful stories.) |
| Bonne-maman adorée | bun-mah-mahn ah-do-ray | Beloved Grandmother | Bonne-maman adorée, merci pour tout. (Beloved Grandmother, thank you for everything.) |
| Manette | mah-net | Little Grandma (informal) | Manette prépare des cookies délicieux. (Little Grandma makes delicious cookies.) |
| Grand-mère bien-aimée | grahn-mehr byan-ay-may | Beloved Grandmother | Grand-mère bien-aimée est toujours pleine de joie. (Beloved Grandmother is always joyful.) |
| Mamounette chérie | mah-moo-net shay-ree | Dear Sweet Grandma | Mamounette chérie aime tricoter des écharpes. (Dear Sweet Grandma loves knitting scarves.) |
| Mamie tendre | mah-mee tahndr | Tender Grandma | Mamie tendre prend soin de nous. (Tender Grandma takes care of us.) |
| Mamina d’amour | mah-mee-nah dah-moor | Loving Granny | Mamina d’amour est toujours là pour moi. (Loving Granny is always there for me.) |
| Mamie précieuse | mah-mee pray-syuhz | Precious Grandma | Mamie précieuse est un trésor de famille. (Precious Grandma is a family treasure.) |
| Bonne-mère gentille | bun-mehr zhahn-tee | Kind Grandma | Bonne-mère gentille aide toujours ses petits-enfants. (Kind Grandma always helps her grandchildren.) |
Response to “Grandma” in French
When someone mentions or calls their grandma in French, it’s common to respond with warm, loving phrases. Here are common responses used in family conversations:
1. Je t’aime, Mamie
Pronunciation: zhuh tem mah-mee
Meaning: I love you, Grandma
In a Sentence: Je t’aime, Mamie, merci pour tout! (I love you, Grandma; thank you for everything!)
2. Merci, Mamie
Pronunciation: mehr-see mah-mee
Meaning: Thank you, Grandma
In a Sentence: Merci, Mamie, pour le délicieux dîner! (Thank you, Grandma, for the delicious dinner!)
3. Tu es la meilleure, Mamie!
Pronunciation: tyoo eh lah meh-yur mah-mee
Meaning: You’re the best, Grandma!
In a Sentence: Tu es la meilleure, Mamie! J’adore tes histoires. (You’re the best, Grandma! I love your stories.)
4. Bisous, Mamie!
Pronunciation: bee-zoo mah-mee
Meaning: Kisses, Grandma!
In a Sentence: Bisous, Mamie! À bientôt! (Kisses, Grandma! See you soon!)
5. Je suis content de te voir, Mamie
Pronunciation: zhuh swee kon-tahn duh tuh vwar mah-mee
Meaning: I’m happy to see you, Grandma
In a Sentence: Je suis content de te voir, Mamie! Tu m’as manqué! (I’m happy to see you, Grandma! I missed you!)
6. Tu es formidable, Mamie!
Pronunciation: tyoo eh for-mee-dah-bluh mah-mee
Meaning: You are amazing, Grandma!
In a Sentence: Tu es formidable, Mamie! Merci pour ton aide. (You are amazing, Grandma! Thank you for your help.)
7. Je suis heureux(se) d’être ici, Mamie
Pronunciation: zhuh swee uh-ruh(z) det-ruh ee-see mah-mee
Meaning: I’m happy to be here, Grandma
In a Sentence: Je suis heureuse d’être ici, Mamie. (I’m happy to be here, Grandma.)
8. C’est toujours agréable de te voir, Mamie
Pronunciation: say too-zhoor ah-gray-ah-bluh duh tuh vwar mah-mee
Meaning: It’s always nice to see you, Grandma
In a Sentence: C’est toujours agréable de te voir, Mamie. (It’s always nice to see you, Grandma.)
9. Tu comptes beaucoup pour moi, Mamie
Pronunciation: tyoo kont boo-koo poor mwah mah-mee
Meaning: You mean a lot to me, Grandma
In a Sentence: Tu comptes beaucoup pour moi, Mamie. Merci d’être là. (You mean a lot to me, Grandma. Thank you for being there.)
10. À bientôt, Mamie!
Pronunciation: ah byan-toh mah-mee
Meaning: See you soon, Grandma!
In a Sentence: À bientôt, Mamie! Passe une bonne journée! (See you soon, Grandma! Have a great day!)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Grandma” in French
Complete the sentences below by filling in the blanks with the correct French terms for “Grandma” from the previous sections. Each sentence is something you might say in real life.
Fill-in-the-Blanks
- Je vais chez _______ ce week-end pour manger un bon repas.
- _______ prépare toujours des biscuits au chocolat pour nous.
- Ma _______ me lit une histoire avant de dormir.
- Nous rendons visite à _______ chaque été dans son village.
- _______ adore nous raconter des souvenirs de sa jeunesse.
- C’est l’anniversaire de _______ aujourd’hui!
- Je suis très heureux(se) de voir _______ après les vacances.
- Merci, _______! Ton gâteau est délicieux!
- Ma sœur et moi aimons aider _______ dans le jardin.
- _______ nous prépare un délicieux repas pour Noël.
- J’adore passer mes vacances chez _______ à la campagne.
- Nous allons faire une surprise à _______ ce dimanche.
Answers
- Je vais chez Mamie ce week-end pour manger un bon repas. (I’m going to Grandma’s this weekend to eat a good meal.)
- Bonne-maman prépare toujours des biscuits au chocolat pour nous. (Dear Grandma always makes chocolate cookies for us.)
- Ma Mémé me lit une histoire avant de dormir. (My Granny reads me a story before bed.)
- Nous rendons visite à Grand-maman chaque été dans son village. (We visit Grandma every summer in her village.)
- Mamie chérie adore nous raconter des souvenirs de sa jeunesse. (Beloved Grandma loves telling us stories from her youth.)
- C’est l’anniversaire de Mamounette aujourd’hui! (It’s Grandma’s birthday today!)
- Je suis très heureux(se) de voir Mamie douce après les vacances. (I’m very happy to see Grandma after the holidays.)
- Merci, Mamie! Ton gâteau est délicieux! (Thank you, Grandma! Your cake is delicious!)
- Ma sœur et moi aimons aider Mémère dans le jardin. (My sister and I love helping Granny in the garden.)
- Mamita nous prépare un délicieux repas pour Noël. (Grandma is making us a delicious meal for Christmas.)
- J’adore passer mes vacances chez Mamounette à la campagne. (I love spending my vacation at Grandma’s in the countryside.)
- Nous allons faire une surprise à Mamie d’amour ce dimanche. (We are going to surprise Grandma this Sunday.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “Grandma” in French is a meaningful way to show love and respect in family conversations. Whether you use “Mamie,” “Grand-mère,” or another affectionate term, these words can strengthen your bond with your family.
Keep practicing these phrases to feel more comfortable using them in real-life situations. Knowing different ways to say “Grandma” will help you communicate warmly and naturally when speaking French.