German words for kids · Family
How to say “grandma” in German
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 German
Oma
Sounds like ≈ OH-mah
Good to know: Oma is what everyone says in the family; die Großmutter is the formal word.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our German songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Oma und Opa!
Grandma and Grandpa!
from Oma und Opa (Grandma and Grandpa)
O wie Oma!
O as in grandma!
from Die Vokale (The Vowel Song)
2 songs that teach it
“Grandma” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in German with its English meaning.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1On the next call, have your child greet grandma as Oma.
- 2Make a drawing for grandma and write Oma on it together.
- 3Sing the grandparents song before visiting so the words are fresh.
Related German words
“Grandma” in other languages
Sing it in German, 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). Germanhas 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 German songs with your family.