mama
/ˈmɑ.mɑ/
The Swahili word for mom is mama.
mama is an informal way to refer to a female parent.
Which one should you use?
While mama is the most common way to say mom, the more formal or biological term mzazi wa kike is rarely used in daily conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'my mom', you use the word mama followed by the possessive pronoun yangu (as in mama yangu).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmɑ.mɑ/. The stressed syllable is 1 of 2.
Did you know?
- It is common to address a woman by combining mama with the name of her firstborn child, such as mama Amina.
- The word mama is used in the term mama mboga to describe the women who sell fresh vegetables in local markets.
- The word mama is inherited from Proto-Bantu *mààmá and was later reinforced by English and German versions of the word.
Examples in context
- Mama alinipigia kelele wakati huo bila sababu.My mom yells at me all the time for no reason.This sentence shows how to use mama when talking about a mother yelling.Tatoeba #10877488 by ecorralest101, translation #5388597 by Hybrid
- Mama, unahitaji kutia sahihi. Wacha niisome. La, ni sawa. Hulazimiki."Mom, you need to sign this." "Let me read it." "No, it's okay. You don't have to."This sentence shows how to address a mama directly.Tatoeba #10853447 by ecorralest101, translation #2799061 by Hybrid
- Nilikuwa na umri wa miaka tisa wakati nilimuuliza mama yangu ikiwa Santa Claus alikuwepo?I was nine years old when I asked my mom if Santa Claus really existed.This sentence shows how to use mama when referring to 'my mom' using mama yangu.Tatoeba #10831459 by ecorralest101, translation #652440 by darinmex
- Ninafuraha kukutana nawe, mama.I am happy to meet you, mom.
- Mama, unavyopika ni tamu sana.Mom, your cooking is very delicious.
- Karibu nyumbani, mami!Welcome home, mom!
- Ninakupenda sana, mami yangu.I love you so much, my mom.
Example conversation
Omari and Aisha are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- OmariJe, utamtembelea mama yako Jumamosi?Will you visit your mom on Saturday?
- AishaNdiyo, mama anapika chakula kitamu sana.Yes, mom cooks very delicious food.
- OmariNaweza kuja pia?Can I come too?
- AishaBila shaka, Omari, utampendeza sana.Of course, Omari, she will really like you.
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.
