hooyo
[ˈhɞ̄ɞ́ˈʝɞ́]
The Somali word for "mom" is hooyo.
hooyo is an informal way to refer to a female parent. It can also be used as a direct vocative to call out to one's mother, such as saying Hooyo!
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of hooyo is hooyooyin, which means "mothers".
Did you know?
- Because hooyo is rooted in the word for 'shelter', calling one's mother in Somali carries an implicit meaning of seeking safety.
- In Somali culture, hooyo is often used as a term of deep respect and endearment for older women in the community, even if they are not the speaker's biological mother.
- While hooyo is the standard term, you might encounter the older term aayo in classical Somali poetry or older literature, though it is rarely used in daily conversation today.
Examples in context
- Hooyo, ma halkan joogtaa?Mom, are you here?
- Hooyo waxay samaysay cunto macaan.Mom made delicious food.
Example conversation
Farah is asking Nimco about their mother's whereabouts in the house.
- FarahNimco, hooyo xaggee ku jirtaa?Nimco, where is mom?
- NimcoHooyo waxay ku jirtaa jikada.Mom is in the kitchen.
- FarahMa nala soo socotaa?Is she coming with us?
- NimcoHaa, hooyo hadda way imaanaysaa.Yes, mom is coming now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hooyo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
