ម៉ាក់
mak
The English phrase "mom" is translated into Khmer as ម៉ាក់ (mak).
ម៉ាក់ is an informal word used to address or refer to one's mother. In casual conversation, you may also see the colloquial term ម៉ាក់ប៉ា (mak pa), which is used to refer to one's parents collectively as "mom and dad".
Which one should you use?
While ម៉ាក់ is the common informal way to say "mom", the term លោកម៉ែ is a more formal or respectful way to refer to one's mother.
How do you pronounce it?
mak
Did you know?
- While ម៉ាក់ is used for the mother, the father's informal term ប៉ា is also borrowed from the French 'papa'.
- Khmer has many specific words for 'mother' based on kinship, such as different terms for a maternal aunt who is a mother's sister versus a paternal aunt.
- In many Khmer families, children might use the term ម៉ាក់ not just for their biological mother, but as an affectionate title for an older female relative or a close family friend.
Examples in context
- ម៉ាក់ម៉ារី ស្រលាញ់ឆ្កែជាងនាង ។Mary's mom loves the dog more than her.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form ម៉ាក់ when referring to a specific person's mother.Tatoeba #4506352 by angkorsovannnaga, translation #4506876 by slyfin
- តើម៉ាក់ប៉ាខំ្ញុសុខទុក្ខយ៉ាងណា?How are mom and dad?This sentence shows how ម៉ាក់ is used when asking about both parents.Tatoeba #5650021 by angkorsovannnaga, translation #5651206 by Mar1L
- ម៉ាក់ មិនចូលចិត្ត ហាត់ប្រាណទេ ។Mom doesn't like to exercise.This sentence demonstrates using ម៉ាក់ as a subject in a simple sentence.Tatoeba #4527387 by angkorsovannnaga, translation #4568147 by CD
Example conversation
Sok and Mali are talking in their living room.
- សុខ Sokតើម៉ាក់នៅឯណា?tae mak nov ena?Where is mom?
- ម៉ាលី Malyម៉ាក់ទៅផ្សារ។mak tov phsar.Mom went to the market.
- សុខ Sokម៉ាក់នឹងត្រឡប់មកវិញពេលណា?mak neng trolop mok vinh pel na?When will mom be back?
- ម៉ាលី Malyម៉ាក់នឹងមកវិញនៅពេលរសៀល។mak neng mok vinh nov pel ro siel.Mom will come back in the afternoon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ម៉ាក់, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
