माँ
mā̃/mɑ̃ː/
The English word "mama" can be translated into Hindi as माँ (mā̃).
माँ is an informal word used to address or refer to one's mother. Note that while it sounds similar to the Hindi word Mamu, which is a common informal term for a maternal uncle used by both children and adults, माँ specifically refers to a mother.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is mā̃ and the IPA is /mɑ̃ː/.
Did you know?
- The word माँ shares a deep ancestral root with the English word 'mother', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European word *méh₂tēr.
- In many Indian cultures, the word माँ is used to address female deities or revered female figures, not just biological parents.
- Even though they look different, माँ and the formal माता are considered doublets because they share the same historical root.
Examples in context
- मेरी माँ बहुत अच्छी हैं।meri maa bahut achchhi hain.My mother is very good.
- माँ, मुझे भूख लगी है।maa, mujhe bhookh lagi hai.Mom, I am hungry.
- माँ रसोई में हैं।maa rasoi mein hain.Mother is in the kitchen.
Example conversation
A sister and brother are talking in their living room.
- आदित्य Adityaअंजलि, क्या तुमने माँ को देखा?anjali, kya tumne maa ko dekha?Anjali, have you seen mother?
- अंजलि Anjaliनहीं, माँ कहाँ हैं?nahin, maa kahan hain?No, where is mother?
- आदित्य Adityaशायद माँ बाज़ार गई हैं।shayad maa bazaar gayi hain.Maybe mother has gone to the market.
- अंजलि Anjaliठीक है, आदित्य।theek hai, aditya.Okay, Aditya.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry माँ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries माँ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
