mor
/muːr/feminine
In Norwegian, the word for mother is mor. Wiktionary also lists mamma.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mor | /muːr/ | feminine |
| mamma | /mama/ | masculine |
The terms used to refer to a mother in Norwegian vary depending on whether you are using a neutral, formal or affectionate tone.
Which one should you use?
mor is the standard, neutral or slightly more formal term for mother. In contrast, mamma is the informal, affectionate term equivalent to 'mom' or 'mommy' in English. Additionally, mamsen is an affectionate and informal term for mother.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mor is mødre.
How do you pronounce it?
/muːr/
Did you know?
- In some older or very formal Norwegian contexts, the term mor can be used as a title for a religious superior in a convent.
- The plural form mødre undergoes a vowel change from the singular mor, a common feature in Germanic languages known as i-mutation or umlaut.
- Although mor is the standard term, using it in a highly casual setting with one's own mother might sound strangely cold or distant to a Norwegian ear.
Examples in context
- Er du moren hans?Are you his mother?The first sentence uses mor to ask if someone is a mother.Tatoeba #3774209 by giiraffen, translation #3241151 by Theocracy
- Er moren din her?Is your mother here?The second sentence uses mor to ask about a mother's location.Tatoeba #12576000 by elithyia, translation #3823889 by CK
- Toms mor har dødd.Tom's mother has died.The third sentence uses mor to state that a mother has died.Tatoeba #5154122 by sotolf, translation #5151198 by CK
- Jeg elsker deg, mamma. Takk for alt du gjør for oss.I love you, mom. Thank you for everything you do for us.
- Gratulerer med dagen, mor! Jeg er så takknemlig for alt du har gjort for meg.Happy birthday, mother! I am so grateful for everything you have done for me.
- 90 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their families at a cafe.
- SofieEr moren din hjemme nå?Is your mother home now?
- JakobNei, moren min er på jobb.No, my mother is at work.
- SofieJeg må besøke moren min i kveld.I have to visit my mother tonight.
- JakobDet høres hyggelig ut.That sounds nice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries mor, mamma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
