Grandpa in Somali is ‘awoowo’ (also spelled ‘awoowe’). Unlike aunts, uncles and cousins, this word stays the same whichever side of the family he’s on.
The two grandparent words
– Awoowo (or awoowe) — grandfather
– Ayeeyo — grandmother
Both words apply equally to either side of the family — your mother’s father and your father’s father are both simply awoowo. This is different from words like abti and adeer (maternal versus paternal uncle), where the specific side of the family changes the word entirely.
A term of real affection
Grandparents hold a particularly respected place in Somali family life, and awoowo and ayeeyo are used with real warmth — often among the first words a child learns, and commonly used as a term of endearment for any elderly man or woman in the community, even outside the immediate family, as a mark of respect.
Related family words
Since you’re learning grandparent terms, it’s worth knowing the wider family vocabulary too:
– Abti / Adeer — maternal / paternal uncle
– Habaryar/ Eeddo— maternal / paternal aunt
– Ina’abti / Ina’adeer / Habar wadaag — cousin, depending on which side of the family
For the full picture of Somali family and kinship terms, see the complete family words guide (https://ashaalinoor.com/what-you-call-relations-in-somali/)