Gogo's gift: how grandparents can keep your child's home language alive
Grandparents are a family's richest source of language, stories and heritage. Practical ideas for gogos and mkhulus to pass on isiZulu, Sesotho, Xitsonga and more, even from far away.
By the Asifunde Nathi team · 6 min read
Ask South Africans where they learned their home language best, and many will say the same thing: from Gogo. Grandmothers and grandfathers often speak the language most richly, with proverbs, praise poetry, old words and stories that younger generations have half-forgotten.
For children growing up in English-medium schools, grandparents may be the strongest link to their home language and heritage. This guide is for parents who want to make the most of that link, and for grandparents who want to play a bigger role.
In this article
Why grandparents are language treasures
They speak the language deeply
Many grandparents grew up speaking only their home language for most of their lives. They know the words for traditional foods, ceremonies, farming, plants and relationships that rarely come up in town or at school.
They carry the stories
Folktales, family history, clan praises and proverbs often live in grandparents' memories. In isiZulu, clan names are called izithakazelo, in isiXhosa iziduko, and in Sesotho diboko. Knowing them connects a child to generations of family.
They have time and patience
Grandparents can often give children something busy parents struggle to: unhurried time to talk, tell stories and answer endless questions.
They give the language status
When a child sees that speaking the home language makes Gogo light up, the language feels valuable. That feeling is one of the most powerful reasons children keep a language.
Ideas when grandparents live nearby
Make a "Gogo language" rule
Agree that time with grandparents happens in the home language. Children quickly adapt to speaking a particular language with a particular person.
Cook together
Cooking is full of language: ingredients, measuring, stirring, tasting. Let your child help Gogo make a family favourite and learn every word along the way.
Garden together
Planting, watering and harvesting teach the words for plants, soil, weather and growth, plus patience.
Tell stories at bedtime
If your child sleeps over, make a story from Gogo or Mkhulu part of the routine. Old folktales, family stories, or "when I was your age" stories are all perfect.
Teach proverbs and sayings
Share one saying a week and talk about what it means. A great place to start is the idea of ubuntu: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu in isiZulu, Umntu ngumntu ngabantu in isiXhosa, or Motho ke motho ka batho in Sesotho, meaning "a person is a person through other people".
Ideas when grandparents live far away
Many South African families are spread across provinces, with grandparents in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo or the Free State and grandchildren in Gauteng or Cape Town. Distance does not have to break the language link.
A weekly video call
Set a regular time, such as Sunday afternoon, for a video call in the home language. Paediatric guidance treats video-chatting differently from other screen time because it involves real, two-way conversation.
Voice notes
Ask Gogo to send short voice notes: a story, a song, a greeting or a word of the day. Your child can reply with their own voice note in the home language. Voice notes are cheap, easy and treasured.
Story recordings for bedtime
Ask grandparents to record a few favourite stories. Play them at bedtime, especially when your child misses them.
Show and tell
On calls, ask your child to show Gogo something (a drawing, a toy, a new shoe) and describe it in the home language. Ask Gogo to do the same.
Letters and drawings
Older children can write simple letters in the home language and post or photograph them. Grandparents can reply with drawings and short notes.
Build a family tree together
A family tree project is perfect for connecting generations:
- Ask grandparents for names, clan names and places of birth.
- Draw the tree together, labelling relationships in the home language: ugogo, umkhulu, umalume (maternal uncle), ubabekazi (paternal aunt) in isiZulu, or nkgono and ntatemoholo in Sesotho.
- Record a short story about each person.
- Keep it somewhere special and add to it over time.
Tips for grandparents
- Be patient with mistakes. Praise every attempt. If your grandchild answers in English, reply in your language and gently encourage them to try.
- Don't switch to English to make it easier. Children rise to the challenge when they know you will understand them.
- Use your hands and face. Pointing, gestures and expressions help children understand without translation.
- Repeat favourite stories. Children love repetition, and it helps them learn.
- Ask for help with technology. Let your grandchild teach you to send a voice note or start a video call. It makes them feel important and keeps you in touch.
It is good for grandparents too
Spending time with grandchildren gives many older people a sense of purpose and joy. Sharing language and stories is a way of passing on a legacy. For many grandparents, teaching a grandchild their language is one of the most meaningful things they can do.
How Asifunde Nathi helps
Asifunde Nathi lets children practise their home language through short games and bedtime stories in nine South African languages. Grandparents can play alongside their grandchildren, and parents can share the monthly report card with the whole family so Gogo can see how far their grandchild has come. Start a 7-day free trial.
For more ideas, read why children lose their home language and bedtime stories in African languages.
Looking for a present? See our Christmas gift ideas from Gogo that help grandchildren learn their home language.
Learning that speaks their language
Games, stories and a weekly plan in nine South African languages, for ages 2 to 10. Free for 7 days.
Questions parents ask
My parents and my partner's parents speak different languages. Which one should my child learn?
Both, if possible. Children can learn more than one language from different family members. Let each grandparent speak their own language with your child.
My child is shy to speak with Gogo because their language is weak. How can I help?
Prepare together before visits or calls: practise a greeting and a few phrases. Ask Gogo to be encouraging and to start with simple questions. Confidence grows quickly with success.
Gogo only speaks our home language and my child only speaks English. What now?
This is common and fixable. Use pictures, gestures and simple words at first. Teach your child a few key phrases before visits. Every interaction will build their understanding.
How can grandparents help if they cannot read or write?
Spoken language and storytelling are what matter most for young children. Grandparents who tell stories, sing songs and talk with their grandchildren are giving them exactly what they need.
