olá, mãe
/oˈla ˈmɐ̃j̃/word by word
The English phrase "hello mom" is translated into Portuguese as olá, mãe.
This phrase is a greeting used when speaking directly to one's mother. Depending on the time of day, you might also use specific time-based greetings such as Bom dia, mãe! until noon or Boa noite, mãe! to greet her from the evening until bedtime.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While olá, mãe is a relaxed way to say "Hello, mom!", the phrase Oi, mãe! is an informal way to say "Hi, mom!" In daily Brazilian Portuguese, Oi, mãe is a more common and informal way to greet a mother than olá, mãe.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for mother is mãe. When writing the phrase, a comma is used to separate the greeting from the person being addressed, as seen in olá, mãe.
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈla ˈmɐ̃j̃/
Did you know?
- The word mãe is a nasalized version of the Latin 'mātrem', a phonetic evolution that occurred because it originated from 'child-speech' forms.
- Many Portuguese speakers use the diminutive mãezinha instead of mãe to express extra affection or tenderness.
- In Portuguese, the word mãe can be used to describe the origin or source of something, such as 'the mother of all problems'.
Examples in context
- Olá, mãe, como você está?Hello mom, how are you?
- Olá, mãe, chegou cedo hoje.Hello mom, you arrived early today.
- Olá, mãe, eu já estou em casa.Hello mom, I am already home.
Example conversation
Gabriel enters the living room and sees his mother sitting on the sofa.
- GabrielOlá, mãe!Hello mom!
- MarianaOlá, Gabriel, tudo bem?Hello Gabriel, everything okay?
- GabrielSim, estou muito bem.Yes, I am doing very well.
- MarianaQue bom, meu filho.That is good, my son.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (olá, mãe) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mãe, olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
