ماما
māmā/maː.maː/
The English phrase "mama" is translated into Arabic as ماما (māmā).
ماما is an informal term used by both children and adults to affectionately address or refer to their mother.
Which one should you use?
While ماما is used affectionately and informally, the term أمي is the more formal and standard way to refer to one's mother.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ماما is an informal term. In more formal contexts, such as Standard Arabic, you might use أمي or the even more formal والدتي to mean "my mother".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, ماما is the equivalent term for "mama".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /maː.maː/. The word has 2 syllables and is romanized as māmā.
Did you know?
- In some traditional households, a child might refer to their mother as ست الحبايب meaning 'the lady of all beloveds' to show extreme reverence.
- While ماما is the affectionate term, the formal word for mother والدة literally means 'the one who gave birth'.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, adults continue to call their mothers ماما well into adulthood as a sign of lifelong tenderness and closeness.
Examples in context
- أين ماما؟ayna mama?Where is mama?
- أنا أحب ماما كثيراً.ana uhibbu mama kathiran.I love mama very much.
- ماما، هل أنتِ هنا؟mama, hal anti huna?Mama, are you here?
Example conversation
Two siblings are talking about their mother in the living room.
- سارة Saraغدت ماما الطعامۢGhadat mama al-ta'am?Did mama make the food?
- زياد Ziadنعام، ماما تطبخ الآنNa'am, mama tatbukh al-aan.Yes, mama is cooking now.
- سارة Saraمتى تسارعنا معهاً؟Mata tasari'una ma'aha?When will we help her?
- زياد Ziadبعد قليل دقيقةBa'da qalil daqiqa.In a few minutes.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ماما, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
