お母さん
okāsan[o̞ka̠ːsã̠ɴ]
The English phrase "hey mom" can be translated into Japanese as お母さん (okāsan).
To capture the "hey" in "hey mom", Japanese speakers often use the particle ねえ (nee) before the noun, forming ねえ、お母さん.
Which one should you use?
While お母さん is used to call out to one's own mother, the word 母 is used to refer to one's mother when talking to a stranger or superior.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お母さん is the standard, polite way for a child or young person to address their mother. For a more informal and often childish way to say "mom", you can use ママ. Another common and affectionate way to address one's mother is かあちゃん.
How do you pronounce it?
okāsan
Did you know?
- The word お母さん did not become the standard way to address a mother across Japan until the Ministry of Education included it in a 1903 elementary school reader.
- The term ママ is not just a translation of 'mom' but is often perceived as a childish term used by very young children or spoiled adults.
- The honorific prefix お and the suffix さん both wrap around the root word 母 to create a 'double layer' of respect.
Examples in context
- お母さん、お腹が空いたよ。Okaasan, onaka ga suita yo.Hey mom, I'm hungry.
- お母さん、ちょっと聞いて。Okaasan, chotto kiite.Hey mom, listen to this.
- お母さん、これ見て！Okaasan, kore mite!Hey mom, look at this!
Example conversation
Yui is calling her mother from another room.
- 結衣 Yuiお母さん、聞こえる？Okāsan, kikoeru?Hey mom, can you hear me?
- お母さんはい、聞こえるよ。どうしたの？Hai, kikoeru yo. Dō shita no?Yes, I can hear you. What's wrong?
- 結衣 Yuiお腹が空いたよ！Onaka ga suita yo!I'm hungry!
- お母さんもうすぐご飯ができるから待ってね。Mōsugu gohan ga dekiru kara matte ne.Dinner will be ready soon, so please wait.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お母さん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お母さん, CC BY-SA 4.0.
