noun
abuela
ah-BWAY-luh
Abuela (noun) means a grandmother, especially in a Spanish-speaking or Hispanic family. Example: “Every Sunday the whole family gathers at abuela's house for dinner.”
noun
1
A grandmother, especially in a Spanish-speaking or Hispanic family.
"Together, the abuelas wrote pleading letters to international organizations and the pope, and posed as baby supply saleswomen and housekeepers to more closely surveil children they thought might be their relations."
— Haley Cohen Gilliland, How a Group of Grandmothers Revealed the Painful Truth About Argentina’s Past (2025)
"On the east side of San Jose, Calif., there is an abuela who seems to have more grandchildren than she can count."
— Frank Rojas, ‘Carefluencers’ Are Helping Older Loved Ones, and Posting About It (2024)
"I speak of Yemeni bodega owners and Mexican abuelas."
— Zohran Mamdani, The Full Transcript of Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Speech (2025)
"Every Sunday the whole family gathers at abuela's house for dinner."
"My abuela taught me how to make tamales from scratch."
How to use abuela
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA warm, familiar word for grandmother, used the way English speakers might say "grandma."
When to use it
Informal and affectionate; used within families rather than in formal writing.
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Word forms
- Plural
- abuelas
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Every Sunday the whole family gathers at _____'s house for dinner.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from Spanish abuela, "grandmother."
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for abuela
See all rhymes for abuela →Frequently asked questions
What does “abuela” mean?
The word “abuela” means a grandmother, especially in a Spanish-speaking or Hispanic family. In plain terms, a warm, familiar word for grandmother, used the way English speakers might say "grandma.".
How do you pronounce “abuela”?
“Abuela” is pronounced ah-BWAY-luh (/ɑˈbweɪlə/ in IPA).
How do you use “abuela” in a sentence?
Here is “abuela” used in a sentence: “Every Sunday the whole family gathers at abuela's house for dinner.”
What part of speech is “abuela”?
“Abuela” is a noun.
Where does the word “abuela” come from?
The word “abuela” comes from Spanish. Borrowed directly from Spanish abuela, "grandmother.".
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