mama
/ˈma.ma/
The Polish word for mom is mama.
mama is the most common and standard way to say mom in Polish.
Which one should you use?
While mama is the standard informal term, matka is a more formal and biological term for mother.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form mamy is the genitive singular of mama, used to indicate possession or after certain prepositions. The form mamę is used when mama is the direct object of a sentence, such as in 'I love mom'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈma.ma/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1 of 2.
Did you know?
- Polish has a distinct word for a 'stepmother' macocha which historically carried a much more negative stereotype than the English term.
- In Polish literature, the word matka is frequently used to personify the homeland as Matka Polska or 'Mother Poland'.
- While matka is the biological term for 'mother', calling your own mother matka in a casual conversation would sound incredibly cold, distant, or even clinical.
Examples in context
- A twoja mama też.And your mom also.This sentence is useful for using the form mama.Tatoeba #5868766 by BeataB, translation #434222 by lukaszpp
- Gdzie jest moja mama?Where's my mom?Tatoeba #3872107 by jeedrek, translation #2254645 by CK
- Mama jest starsza od taty.Mom is older than Dad.Tatoeba #502334 by mwgamera, translation #482368 by adjusting
- Mama, czy możesz mi pomóc?Mom, can you help me?
- Wczoraj mamusia upiekła pyszne ciasto.Yesterday, Mommy baked a delicious cake.
- Mamka, czy możemy iść na spacer?Momma, can we go for a walk?
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Tomasz are talking about their weekend plans.
- AgnieszkaJadę w sobotę do mamy.I am going to my mom's on Saturday.
- TomaszTwoja mama mieszka w Krakowie?Does your mom live in Krakow?
- AgnieszkaTak, moja mama tam mieszka.Yes, my mom lives there.
- TomaszTo miłe, pozdrów ją od nas.That's nice, give her our regards.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mama, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
