French words for kids · Family
How to say “grandma” in French
For many families, grandma is the reason to learn the language in the first place. A greeting in her language means a lot.
Grandma in French
mamie
Sounds like ≈ mah-MEE
Good to know: Mamie is the affectionate word kids actually use; grand-mère is the more formal "grandmother".
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our French songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Mamie est là!
Grandma is here!
from Mamie et Papi (Grandma and Grandpa)
Mamie!
Grandma!
from Ma famille (My Family)
The song that teaches it
“Grandma” is one of the key words in this song. Every line is shown in French with its English meaning.
Also sung in: Ma famille.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1On the next call, have your child greet grandma as mamie.
- 2Make a drawing for grandma and write mamie on it together.
- 3Sing the grandparents song before visiting so the words are fresh.
Related French words
“Grandma” in other languages
Sing it in French, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Frenchhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using French songs with your family.