bonjour maman
bonjour maman is the French way to say hello mummy.
This phrase is a greeting used by a child to say hello to their mother.
What does it mean word for word?
bonjour maman is composed of bonjour (good day/hello) and maman (mummy/mom).
Which one should you use?
While maman is the standard term for mummy, mère is the more formal word for mother.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more informal or affectionate greetings, you can use Salut, Maman or Coucou, Maman. Specifically, coucou maman is a more affectionate and informal way for a child or an adult child to greet their mother than bonjour maman.
Did you know?
- While bonjour maman is the standard greeting, the informal coucou is actually the same word French parents use to play 'peek-a-boo' with babies.
- While 'maman' is often associated with children, many French adults continue to use 'maman' instead of 'mère' throughout their entire lives when speaking to their mother.
- While 'maman' is the standard term for 'mummy', it is actually a linguistic relic of 'baby talk' that survived into adult language. It is believed to have originated from the universal, easy-to-pronounce sounds made by infants.
Example conversation
A child runs to greet their mother in the kitchen.
- LéaBonjour maman !Hello mummy!
- HugoBonjour Léa, comment ça va ?Hello Léa, how are you?
- LéaÇa va très bien, merci !I am doing very well, thank you!
- HugoC'est super, ma chérie.That's great, my darling.
