How to say “Grandma” in Korean
- 할머니halmeoni
grandma
"Grandma" in Korean is 할머니 (halmeoni). It works for your own grandmother and is also a polite way to address any elderly woman. Koreans often add 친 or 외 to say whether she is on the father's or mother's side.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 할머니 halmeoni | Any | Grandma or grandmother. Use it for your own grandmother or any elderly woman. |
| 친할머니 chinhalmeoni | Any | Grandmother on your father's side. |
| 외할머니 oehalmeoni | Any | Grandmother on your mother's side. |
| 할머님 halmeonim | Formal | An extra-respectful form, used for someone else's grandmother. |
| 할매 halmae | Casual | A dialect word from the Gyeongsang region (Busan, Daegu). Warm and folksy. |
Examples
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Calling your grandmother
Telling a friend your weekend plan
Inviting your grandmother to eat
Tips
With grandparents, Koreans use honorific words: 진지 instead of 밥 for a meal, 댁 instead of 집 for a home, and 드시다 instead of 먹다 for eating.
Strangers will call an elderly woman 할머니 too, for example on the bus or at a market. It is polite, not an insult.
In casual talk, people often skip 친 and 외 and just say 할머니. The prefixes come up when you need to be clear.
More on 할머니 in our Korean phrase guides.
Questions learners ask
What does oehalmeoni mean?
외할머니 (oehalmeoni) is your mother's mother. 외 refers to the mother's side of the family.
Can I call any old woman halmeoni?
Yes. Koreans politely call elderly women 할머니 even if they are not related.
How do you say "I love you, Grandma" in Korean?
Say 할머니 사랑해요 (halmeoni saranghaeyo).