die Großmutter
grandmother
The mother of one's own father (paternal grandmother) or one's own mother (maternal grandmother).
EXAMPLE
Jeden Sonntag besuchen wir meine Großmutter zum Kaffeetrinken.
Every Sunday we visit my grandmother for coffee.
die Großmutter
grandmother
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is made up of 'groß' (big/great) and 'Mutter' (mother). The prefix 'Groß-' is used with family members to refer to one generation earlier, similar to 'grand-' in English.
EXAMPLE
Meine Urgroßmutter wurde 99 Jahre alt.
My great-grandmother lived to be 99 years old.
Word family
Other relatives of this generation are named according to the same pattern. The male counterpart is 'der Großvater' (grandfather), and together they are 'die Großeltern' (grandparents).
EXAMPLE
Meine Großeltern leben auf dem Land.
My grandparents live in the countryside.
Style and register
'Großmutter' (grandmother) is the neutral and also somewhat more formal expression. It is often used in written language or when talking about one's family in a more official context.
EXAMPLE
In ihrem Testament hat die Großmutter das Haus den Kindern vermacht.
In her will, the grandmother left the house to the children.
Compare with
Großmutter vs Oma
grandma
Oma and Großmutter refer to the same relative. Oma sounds colloquial and familiar and is especially suitable in personal conversations. Großmutter is more neutral and can also be used in formal or factual contexts.
Großmutter
Im Formular trug ich den Namen meiner Großmutter ein.
I entered my grandmother's name on the form.
Oma
Meine Oma holt mich heute von der Schule ab.
My grandma is picking me up from school today.
In real life
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