Meaning
grandparents
Nuance & Usage
祖父母 (sofubo) is the combined term for grandparents (both grandpa and grandma together). Individually: 祖父 (sofu — grandfather, humble/plain form used when talking about your own), 祖母 (sobo — grandmother). Honorific forms: お祖父さん (ojiisan) and お祖母さん (obaasan) — used when addressing them directly or talking about others' grandparents. A common confusion: おじいさん is grandfather but おじさん (without elongation) is uncle. Precise pronunciation of the vowel length matters.
Common Mistakes
A critical pronunciation trap: お祖父さん (ojiisan — grandfather) vs おじさん (ojisan — uncle), and お祖母さん (obaasan — grandmother) vs おばさん (obasan — aunt). The difference is the length of the vowel: じい vs じ, ばあ vs ば. Mixing these up causes significant misunderstandings. Also: remember that when talking about your own grandparents to others, use the humble forms 祖父/祖母 (sofu/sobo), not おじいさん/おばあさん.
Example Sentences
祖父母は田舎に住んでいて、夏休みによく遊びに行きます。
そふぼはいなかにすんでいて、なつやすみによくあそびにいきます。
My grandparents live in the countryside, and I often visit them during summer vacation.
祖父からたくさんのことを教えてもらいました。
そふからたくさんのことをおしえてもらいました。
My grandfather taught me many things.
お祖母さんの手料理が一番おいしいと思います。
おばあさんのてりょうりがいちばんおいしいとおもいます。
I think my grandmother's home cooking is the most delicious.
Quick Quiz
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