How to Say ‘Mother-in-law’ in Japanese
お義母さん
o kaa san
[oh ghee-boh sahn]
🇯🇵 In Japan: When speaking to or about your spouse's mother, [お義母さん] is the natural family term. In real family conversation, this is more usual than a direct equivalent of "mother-in-law."
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix used in family words to sound respectful.
お義母さんは優しいです。
My mother-in-law is kind.
義母
kaa
[ghee-boh]
mother-in-law
Refers to one's mother-in-law in a respectful way.
義母と話しました。
I spoke with my mother-in-law.
さん
san
[sahn]
Mr. / respectful suffix
A respectful suffix used with names and family terms.
お義母さんは料理が上手です。
My mother-in-law is good at cooking.
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