"Großmutter" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Großmütter (with Umlaut). In English, Großmutter means "grandmother". The informal version is die Oma (grandma)."Die Großmutter" is essential family vocabulary at A1 level — one of the first words learners pick up when talking about extended family. It's a perfect example of the German compound rule: the last word (Mutter) determines everything — gender, plural pattern, and declension. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: "Großmutter" is a compound of groß (great/big) + Mutter (mother). In German compounds, the last word determines the gender — since Mutter is feminine, Großmutter is also feminine. This rule applies to all compounds. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Großmutter — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Großmutter | die Großmütter |
| Genitive | der Großmutter | der Großmütter |
| Dative | der Großmutter | den Großmüttern |
| Accusative | die Großmutter | die Großmütter |
Example Sentences with Großmutter
Die Großmutter erzählt den Kindern eine Geschichte.
(The grandmother tells the children a story.) — Nominative
Wir besuchen die Großmutter jeden Sonntag.
(We visit the grandmother every Sunday.) — Accusative
Das Kind bringt der Großmutter Blumen mit.
(The child brings the grandmother flowers.) — Dative
Die Küche der Großmutter riecht immer nach Kuchen.
(The grandmother's kitchen always smells like cake.) — Genitive
Die Großmütter backen gemeinsam Plätzchen für Weihnachten.
(The grandmothers are baking cookies together for Christmas.) — Nominative Plural
Die Enkel haben den Großmüttern selbstgemachte Karten geschenkt.
(The grandchildren gave the grandmothers handmade cards.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Großvater (grandfather), die Großeltern (grandparents — plural only), die Mutter (mother), die Oma (grandma — informal), der Opa (grandpa — informal), der Enkel (grandson), die Enkelin (granddaughter)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Urgroßmutter (great-grandmother), das Großmutterrezept (grandmother's recipe — colloquial), großmütterlich (grandmotherly — adjective)
Common Mistake with Großmutter
❌ Common mistake: Die Großmuttern kochen gut.
✅ Correct: Die Großmütter kochen gut.
💡 Why: The plural of "Großmutter" is die Großmütter — with an Umlaut (u → ü), not by adding -n. In compounds, the plural always follows the pattern of the last word: Mutter → Mütter, so Großmutter → Großmütter. The same applies to der Großvater → die Großväter.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Das Kind gibt ___ Großmutter einen Kuss.
- A) die Großmutter
- B) der Großmutter
- C) den Großmutter
Check Answer
"Geben" requires a dative object (to whom?). Feminine dative = der: der Großmutter. The noun itself doesn't change.
2. Wir besuchen ___ Großmutter am Wochenende.
- A) der Großmutter
- B) die Großmutter
- C) den Großmutter
Check Answer
"Besuchen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Feminine accusative = die, same as the nominative: die Großmutter.
3. Er hat eine liebevoll___ Großmutter.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the accusative feminine, the adjective ending is -e: eine liebevolle Großmutter. Feminine accusative = feminine nominative — both use -e after ein/eine.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and common compound nouns.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Onkel — the uncle
- die Tante — the aunt
- das Kind — the child
- der Sohn — the son
- die Tochter — the daughter
- die Familie — the family
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Großmutter? Practice makes perfect.
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Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Großmutter masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Großmutter is feminine — the correct article is die. In German compounds, the last word determines the gender. Since Mutter is feminine, Großmutter is also feminine. This rule applies to all German compounds: der Großvater (masculine because Vater is masculine), der Familienname (masculine because Name is masculine). See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Großmutter?
The plural is die Großmütter — with an Umlaut (u → ü), exactly like the base word Mutter → Mütter. In compounds, the plural always follows the pattern of the last word.
What is the difference between Großmutter and Oma?
Die Großmutter is the standard, neutral word for "grandmother" — used in formal contexts, documents, and general conversation. Die Oma is the informal equivalent, similar to "grandma" or "granny" in English. Both are feminine. Children typically say "Oma," while "Großmutter" is more common in writing and when talking about someone else's grandmother.
How do you say great-grandmother in German?
"Great-grandmother" is die Urgroßmutter — a compound of Ur- (original/great-great) + Großmutter (grandmother). The Ur- prefix adds one more generation: Mutter (mother) → Großmutter (grandmother) → Urgroßmutter (great-grandmother). The male equivalent is der Urgroßvater (great-grandfather).
