엄마 안녕
eomma annyeong
The English phrase "hello mommy" is translated into Korean as 엄마 안녕 (eomma annyeong).
엄마 안녕 is a casual greeting used by a child to say hello to their mother.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 엄마, meaning "mommy" and 안녕, meaning "hello" or "hi".
Which one should you use?
While 엄마 안녕 is a casual greeting used by children, 엄마 안녕하세요 is a more polite version used if the child is being taught to use formal speech. For much more serious or respectful contexts, the formal 어머니 안녕하세요 can be used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
An informal variation, 안녕, 엄마, is similar to saying "hey mom" in English. In contrast, 어머니 안녕하세요 is a formal way to address a mother and is much more serious and respectful than the affectionate, child-like 엄마 안녕.
How do you pronounce it?
eomma annyeong
Did you know?
- While 엄마 안녕 is casual, switching to 어머니 안녕하세요 can signal a shift in the relationship, such as a child intentionally showing distance or extreme formality during a serious disagreement.
- The word 안녕 in 'hello' literally translates to 'peace' or 'tranquility'. When you greet someone, you are essentially asking if they are in a state of peace.
- While 엄마 is used by children, many adults in Korea still use this 'childish' term with their own mothers to express intimacy and affection.
Examples in context
- 엄마 안녕, 잘 잤어?eomma annyeong, jal jasseo?Hello, mommy, did you sleep well?
- 엄마 안녕, 나 왔어.eomma annyeong, na wasseo.Hello, mommy, I'm home.
Example conversation
A young son greets his mother after school.
- 지은 Ji-eun엄마 안녕!Eomma annyeong!Hello mommy!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo현우 왔니? 안녕!Hyeonu wan-ni? Annyeong!Is Hyeonu here? Hello!
- 지은 Ji-eun오늘 학교 정말 재밌었어.Oneul hakgyo jeongmal jaemisseosseo.School was really fun today.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그랬구나, 정말 다행이다.Geuraetguna, jeongmal dahaeng-ida.I see, that's a relief.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, 엄마, CC BY-SA 4.0.
