mamma e papà
/ˈmam.ma ˈe paˈpa/word by word
The phrase for "mom and dad" in Italian is mamma e papà.
mamma e papà is used as an informal way to refer to one's parents.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mamma e papà is the informal version of the more formal madre e padre (mother and father).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Italian, mamma e papà are typically written in lowercase unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence, unlike the English tendency to capitalize "Mom and Dad" as proper nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈmam.ma ˈe paˈpa/. It consists of 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'Dad' to mean both the person and the name, Italians must be careful with papà, as it contains a grave accent on the last 'a' to distinguish it from the word papa, which means 'Pope'.
- The Italian word mammone refers to a 'mama's boy', a grown man who remains overly dependent on his mamma.
- While mamma is used for mothers, the word papà is often used interchangeably with babbo in Tuscany and parts of Central Italy.
Examples in context
- Io amo mamma e papà.I love Mom and Dad.This sentence shows how to express love for mamma e papà.Tatoeba #13968569 by unforgiven95, translation #11989063 by maaster
- Mamma e papà mi hanno dato una bicicletta.Mom and Dad gave me a bicycle.This sentence illustrates the use of mamma e papà as the subject of a sentence.Tatoeba #706299 by Guybrush88, translation #703250 by papabear
- Ho preparato la cena per la mia mamma.I prepared dinner for my mom.
- Devo chiamare mamma e papà.I have to call mom and dad.
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are talking about a family visit.
- GiuliaQuando arrivano mamma e papà?When are mom and dad arriving?
- FrancescoArrivano tra un'ora, Giulia.They arrive in one hour, Giulia.
- GiuliaSpero che siano stanchi.I hope they are tired.
- FrancescoPerché lo speri, Giulia?Why do you hope that, Giulia?
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mamma, e, papà) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
