Hey there! If youโve ever been curious about Korean culture, youโll know that family is a big deal.
We’ve seen it through a few articles already, like “How to say dad in Korean” or “How to say mom in Korean“. But even more when we were talking about brothers and sisters.
Today, we’re diving into other family related terms. We will see how to say grandmother and grandfather in Korean. And if you’re watching kdramas, you might have heard these words a lot already!
Grandparents, with their endless wisdom and love, are especially cherished. Whether youโre diving into Korean for the first time or just want to pick up a few polite terms, knowing how to address the elder members of the family is essential. So, letโs break down how to say “grandparents,” “grandma,” and “grandpa” in Korean, covering everything from casual to formal use! ๐
How to Say “Grandparents” in Korean
General Term : Grandparents in Korean
The go-to word for “grandparents” on the fatherโs side in Korean is ์กฐ๋ถ๋ชจ (jobumo). Itโs a combo of ์กฐ๋ถ (jobu), which means โgrandfather,โ and ์กฐ๋ชจ (jomo), which means โgrandmother.โ
Maternal Grandparents
Now, if youโre talking specifically about your momโs parents, just add ์ธ (oe) to the front to make ์ธ์กฐ๋ถ๋ชจ (oejobumo). That little prefix signals that youโre talking about the maternal side of your family.
Great Grandparents
And just when you thought we were done, thereโs more! Of course, you also need to learn how to say “great grandparents” in Korean.
For “great grandparents,” Koreans use the term ์ฆ์กฐ๋ถ๋ชจ (jeungjobumo). If you need to be specific, ์ฆ์กฐ๋ถ (jeungjobu) is for your great-grandfather and ์ฆ์กฐ๋ชจ (jeungjomo) for your great-grandmother.
How to Say “Grandmother” in Korean
General Usage
ํ ๋จธ๋ (halmeoni) is your all-purpose term for grandma here. Whether itโs your grandma or someone elseโs, this word is perfect for showing respect and affection. If you need to specifically speak about your grandmother on your mother’s side, add “์ธ” to “ํ ๋จธ๋” : ์ธํ ๋จธ๋ (oehalmeoni).
Please note that ํ ๋จธ๋ (halmeoni) can be used for both sides of the family! ๐
Formal Situations
Got a formal event or feeling extra respectful? Upgrade ํ ๋จธ๋ to ํ ๋จธ๋ (halmeonim). For your mother’s side grandma, itโs ์ธํ ๋จธ๋ (oehalmeonim).
Pronunciation
ํ ๋จธ๋
How to Say “Grandfather” in Korean
General Usage
ํ ์๋ฒ์ง (harabeoji) is your standard term for grandpa, handy for any occasion. If youโre specifically talking about your grandpa on your momโs side, say ์ธํ ์๋ฒ์ง (oeharabeoji).
Once again, ํ ์๋ฒ์ง (harabeoji) can be used for both sides of the family! ๐
Formal Situations
For those moments when you need to be super formal, ํ ์๋ฒ๋ (harabeonim) is the term youโre looking for.
Pronunciation
ํ ์๋ฒ์ง
Cultural note
An interesting thing to note is that, in Korean, not only will you call your grandparents this way, but you will do the same for the elderly that you don’t know. Of course, not all of them! But if you feel some sort of attachment to an elderly that is not in your family, you can also call this person by the terms we’ve just seen.
Wrap up
Mastering these Korean terms for family members will not only help you in conversations but also deepen your connection to Korean culture. Whether youโre learning Korean for fun, travel, or family reasons, these basics are great to have in your pocket. Happy learning! ๐
