Meaning & use
abuelita
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableinformal
A Spanish word for grandmother, used as a loving name.
Grammar: Used like a name or a common noun: I love my abuelita. / Abuelita, can I help you?
Patterns
- my abuelita
- call someone abuelita
My abuelita makes the best tamales.
We visit my abuelita every Sunday after church.
Abuelita, tell us a story about when you were young.
Word forms
| plural | abuelitas |
|---|
Common combinations
- my abuelita
- My abuelita always gives me a hug when I arrive.
- dear abuelita
- He wrote a letter to his dear abuelita.
- abuelita's house
- We spent the summer at my abuelita's house.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- abuelo noun
- Spanish for grandfather.
- abuela noun
- Spanish for grandmother; 'abuelita' is the affectionate diminutive.
Commonly confused: abuelita or abuela?
abuelita vs abuela
'Abuela' is the plain Spanish word for grandmother; 'abuelita' adds the ending -ita to show affection, like 'granny' versus 'grandmother'.
Practice
In many Spanish-speaking families, children call their grandmother ______ to show affection.
Choose one answer.
'Abuelita' means grandma and shows affection. 'Abuelo' means grandfather, 'tía' means aunt, and 'prima' means female cousin, so they don't fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “abuelita”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.