hola mamá
/ola mama/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "hi mum" is hola mamá.
The phrase is an informal greeting used when speaking to one's mother.
Which one should you use?
While hola mamá is an informal way to greet a mother, using hola madre would sound much more formal or even distant.
Did you know?
- The greeting hola likely began as a command to stop or a way to hail a ferryman in Old High German.
- Depending on the country, mamá may be used as a generic term of endearment for any older woman, regardless of whether she is the speaker's mother.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, instead of saying hola mamá, a child might simply use a diminutive like holita, mami to sound even more affectionate.
Examples in context
- Hola mamá, ¿cómo estás?Hi mum, how are you?
- ¡Hola mamá! Te extrañaba.Hi mum! I missed you.
- Hola mamá, ya llegué a casa.Hi mum, I'm home now.
Example conversation
Javier enters the kitchen where his mother is cooking.
- JavierHola mamá, ¿qué estás cocinando?Hi mum, what are you cooking?
- LucíaHola, Javier. Estoy haciendo pasta.Hi, Javier. I am making pasta.
- JavierHuele muy bien, hola mamá.It smells very good, hi mum.
- LucíaGracias, hijo. Ve a lavarte las manos.Thanks, son. Go wash your hands.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, mamá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
