Japanese word

ママ

Pronunciation

Romajimama

Meaning

  • nounmom

Example

ママ、見てください。ma ma mi te ku da sa i

Mom, please look.

Illustration for ママ (mom)

More examples

ママに電話して、今日の宿題を聞きます。ma ma ni den wa shi te kyō no shuku dai o ki ki ma su

I call Mom and ask about today's homework.

Core concept

Presents one's mother as someone addressed warmly in ordinary family conversation.

Common phrases

  • ママに電話するma ma ni den wa su ru

    call mom

  • ママと遊ぶma ma to aso bu

    play with mom

  • ママを呼ぶma ma o yo bu

    call for mom

Similar words

お母さんokāsan: A polite or affectionate term for one's mother, used in address or reference.
母haha: A neutral term for one's own mother, mainly used when speaking outside the family.

Definition in Japanese

子どもや家族が母親をくだけて呼ぶ語。ko do mo ya ka zoku ga haha oya o ku da ke te yo bu go

Word origin

The form ママ (mama, "mom") repeats the simple syllable ma, a pattern common in early child speech; its direct source in Japanese is not firmly established.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese family talk, ママ (mama, "mom") is a direct form of address, while 母 (haha, "mother") commonly appears when the speaker refers to their own mother outside that address.

Other meanings

  • mommynoun
  • mothernoun

Word lists with this word