მამა
mama[mämä]
In Georgian, 'dad' is expressed as მამა (mama). Wiktionary also lists მამიკო (mamiḳo).
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Georgian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| მამა | mama | [mämä] (narrow) |
| მამიკო | mamiḳo | [mämikʼo̞] (narrow) |
The term is used to refer to a father. Depending on the context, it serves as both the standard word for 'father' and the more casual 'dad'.
Which one should you use?
The standard word მამა is neutral and can be used for both 'father' and 'dad'. The form მამიკო is a diminutive used specifically as an affectionate nickname for a father.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
მამა is the standard, neutral form. მამიკო is a colloquial and endearing form used to express affection, often used by young children when addressing their dad.
How do you pronounce it?
mama
When do people say it?
In Georgian culture, მამიკო is used as an endearing term to show warmth and affection toward a father.
Did you know?
- Despite the similar sound to 'mama' in English, the Georgian word for mother is დედა, which sounds more like 'deda'.
- The word მამა shares an ancient root with the sound 'ma', which is one of the first syllables human infants across many cultures use to mimic the sound of a parent.
- In traditional Georgian kinship terms, the word მამა can sometimes be used in a broader sense to refer to a male ancestor or a spiritual father.
Examples in context
- როდის მოვიდა მამაშენი სახლში?When did your dad come home?This sentence is useful for seeing how to refer to someone else's მამა.Tatoeba #8486433 by Natalie_71, translation #3134295 by Serhiy
- მამაჩემი საქართველოდან არის, მაგრამ დედაჩემი ამერიკული არის.My dad is from Georgia, but my mom is American.This sentence shows how to use მამა when describing one's origins.Tatoeba #13052482 by ntsereteli, translation #13052483 by ntsereteli
- მამა სახლშია.Dad is in the house.This sentence demonstrates using მამა to indicate a person's location.Tatoeba #8090963 by lovermann, translation #13051272 by ntsereteli
Example conversation
Nino and Giorgi are talking about a family photo.
- ნინო Ninoვინ არის ეს კაცი სურათზე?vin aris es kats suratze?Who is this man in the photo?
- გიორგი Giorgiეს ჩემი მამაა.es chemi mamaa.This is my dad.
- ნინო Ninoძალიან ჰგავხარ მას.dzalian hgavkhar mas.You look a lot like him.
- გიორგი Giorgiმადლობა, ნინო.madloba, nino.Thank you, Nino.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries მამა, მამიკო, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries მამა, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
