nne
/ń̩né/
Mom in Igbo is nne.
nne is an informal word for a female parent. To express affection or address one's mother informally, you can use the phrase Nne'm, which means "my mother". You may also use Nnem oma to mean "my good mother."
What does it mean word for word?
The word nne is the standard term for mother.
How do you pronounce it?
/ń̩né/
Did you know?
- In some traditional Igbo settings, calling a woman Nne is a way of showing profound respect to an elder, even if she is not your biological mother.
- The pronunciation of nne relies heavily on the tone, and a slight shift in pitch can change how much warmth or formality is conveyed in a sentence.
- While nne means mother, it is frequently combined with other words to name specific female relatives, such as nne-nne for grandmother.
Examples in context
- Nnem oma, daalụMy good mother, thank you
- Nne m dị mma.My mom is good.
- Nne gị na-abịa?Is your mom coming?
Example conversation
Emeka and Ada are talking about their family.
- EmekaAda, nne gị dị mma?Ada, is your mom doing well?
- AdaEe, nne m dị mma nke ukwu.Yes, my mom is doing very well.
- EmekaNne m na-abịa leta anyị echi.My mom is coming to visit us tomorrow.
- AdaỌ ga-abụ ihe ọma.That will be a good thing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
