kumusta nanay
To say "hi mom" in Tagalog, use kumusta nanay.
An informal greeting used to say hello to one's mother.
What does it mean word for word?
nanay means mother.
Which one should you use?
You may also see Kumusta, Mama? used as an informal greeting. For a very short and informal greeting, you can say Hi, Nay!
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the greeting more respectful and polite, you can use the particle po to say kumusta po, nanay. Another formal way to ask "How are you, Mom?" is Kumusta po, Inay? In contrast, Kumusta, Mama? is specifically noted as an informal way to ask the same question.
How does it change in a sentence?
To increase the politeness of the phrase, the particle po is inserted after the greeting.
When do people say it?
In Tagalog, Inay and Nay are common terms used to refer to a mother.
Did you know?
- The greeting kumusta is a phonetic adaptation of the Spanish phrase cómo está, which literally asks 'how is' or 'how are you'.
- The term nanay contains a diminutive suffix, '-ay', which adds a sense of endearment or familiarity to the word for mother.
- Using the shortened Nay! is not just informal but is often used as a call of urgency or a very intimate term of affection.
Examples in context
- Kumusta po, Inay? Kamusta ang araw ninyo?Hello, Mom? How is your day?
- Kumusta, Mama? Nakapagpahinga ka na ba?Hi, Mom? Have you rested already?
- Hi, Nay! Kumusta ang araw mo?Hi, Mom! How is your day?
Example conversation
Angela arrives home from school and greets her mother.
- AngelaKumusta nanay! Pagod ako sa school.Hi mom! I'm tired from school.
- NanayKumusta, anak. Magpahinga ka muna.Hello, child. Rest for a while.
- AngelaSalamat po, nanay.Thank you, mom.
- NanaySige, maghugas ka na ng kamay.Okay, go wash your hands now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kumusta, nanay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
