爸爸妈妈
bàba māma
The English phrase 'mom and dad' is translated into Mandarin as 爸爸妈妈 (bàba māma).
爸爸妈妈 is used as a casual way to refer to one's parents.
Which one should you use?
While 爸爸妈妈 is casual, 父母 is the formal term for 'parents' used in writing or official contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase can be shortened to 爸妈 to mean 'parents' in a casual way.
How do you pronounce it?
bàba māma
Did you know?
- If you are introducing your parents to a boss or a teacher, using the casual 爸妈 can actually make you appear less educated or improperly raised, even if you are being affectionate.
- The term 父母 for 'parents' is often used in philosophical or Confucian contexts to represent the very concept of biological lineage and duty, far beyond just the people themselves.
- The structure of 爸爸 and 妈妈 uses reduplication, a common linguistic pattern in Mandarin where repeating a sound or syllable is used to create a sense of intimacy or simplicity.
Examples in context
- 爸爸妈妈在叫我们。Mom and dad are calling for us.This sentence shows how to use 爸爸妈妈 to describe parents calling for someone.Tatoeba #10961062 by xjjAstrus, translation #13810411 by frpzzd
- 我爸爸妈妈都在家。Wǒ bàba māma dōu zài jiā.My mom and dad are both at home.
- 你想念爸爸妈妈吗？Nǐ xiǎngniàn bàba māma ma?Do you miss your mom and dad?
Example conversation
Two siblings are talking about a weekend trip.
- 俊杰 Junjie爸爸妈妈要去旅游。Bàba māma yào qù lǚyóu.Mom and dad are going on a trip.
- 雨婷 Yuting他们什么时候回来？Tāmen shénme shíhou huílái?When are they coming back?
- 俊杰 Junjie下个星期天回来。Xià gè xīngqītiān huílái.They will be back next Sunday.
- 雨婷 Yuting太好了，我想他们了。Tài hǎo le, wǒ xiǎng tāmen le.That's great, I miss them.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
