mamma
/mama/
mamma is the Norwegian word for mama.
mamma is an informal term used to address or refer to one's mother.
Which one should you use?
The word mamma is the informal version, whereas mor is the formal term for mother.
How do you pronounce it?
/mama/
Did you know?
- In Norwegian, you can use the word mamma as a prefix to create compound words, such as mammaklem, which means 'mother-hug'.
- It is common in Norway to refer to one's mother as mamma even well into adulthood, reflecting a culturally close and egalitarian family bond.
- While 'mor' is the formal term, it is also used in the phrase 'morlandet', which means 'the motherland', giving the word a nationalistic weight that 'mamma' lacks.
Examples in context
- Mor, kan du hjelpe meg med leksene mine?Mom, can you help me with my homework?
- Hei mamma, hva har du lyst til å gjøre i dag?Hi mom, what would you like to do today?
- Mamma, kan du lese en godnatt-historie for meg?Mom, can you read me a bedtime story?
- Jeg elsker mamma.I love mamma.
- Kan mamma komme nå?Can mamma come now?
- Mamma lager god mat.Mamma makes good food.
Example conversation
Kristoffer is talking to his sister Emma about their mother.
- KristofferHvor er mamma?Where is mamma?
- EmmaMamma er i hagen.Mamma is in the garden.
- KristofferSkal jeg rope på mamma?Should I call for mamma?
- EmmaNei, hun hører oss.No, she hears us.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mamma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
