mama
/ˈmama/
The Indonesian word for mom is mama.
mama is an informal, affectionate term used within the family.
Which one should you use?
While ibu is formal, mama is an informal, affectionate term used within the family. In many urban or middle-class Indonesian families, mami is also a common alternative to mama.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mama is an informal term. The word ibu is a formal way to say "mom" or "mother" in Indonesian. In Indonesian, Ibu is also used as a respectful title for women in professional or social settings, similar to 'Ma'am'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Indung is frequently used in Betawi and Banten communities.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmama/
Did you know?
- In traditional Indonesian culture, it is common for children to refer to their mother using the third person, such as Ibu mau ke mana? which literally means 'Where does Mother want to go?' instead of 'Where do you want to go?'
- The word mama shares a root with the Latin 'mamma' and Ancient Greek 'mámmē', which were originally words for 'breast'.
- In some Indonesian households, children use mama for their mother but papa for their father, mirroring the structure of European languages rather than traditional Indonesian ones.
Examples in context
- Mama, aku lapar.Mom, I'm hungry.This sentence shows how to use mama when addressing a mother.Tatoeba #2764204 by Bilmanda, translation #2764199 by CK
- Mama, apa kabar?Mom, how are you?
- Mommy, mau makan apa hari ini?Mommy, what do you want to eat today?
- Mama sedang memasak di dapur.Mama is cooking in the kitchen.
- Aku ingin memberi hadiah untuk mama.I want to give a gift to mama.
Example conversation
Indah and Rian are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- IndahApa mama mau ikut pergi?Does mama want to come along?
- RianSepertinya mama sedang sibuk.It seems mama is busy.
- IndahCoba tanya mama dulu.Try asking mama first.
- RianBaik, aku akan tanya mama.Okay, I will ask mama.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mama, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mama, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
