The word for “mom” might sound different depending on where you are, but the feeling is universal. From the cheerful “mami” in Spanish to the sophisticated-sounding “maman” in French, every culture has its own take on what to call the most important person in the room on Mother’s Day. While many of these languages share similarities — many start with “m” or include “ma” and “mama” sounds — each has its own cultural ties and flair.
Some words transcend language barriers, and “mama” is one of them. “Mama” is a go-to moniker in German, Polish, Indonesian, Filipino, Finnish, Swahili, and Japanese (ママ, “mama”) — and in Italian and Swedish it receives an extra “m” for mamma. It has slight spelling and vowel variations in other languages, as seen in Ukrainian (мама), Greek (mamá), Romanian (mamă), and Mandarin Chinese (妈妈, māma), and in Māori, the language of the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, it’s māmā (pronounced with a long “a”).
While the origin of “mama” is uncertain, the Oxford English Dictionary says it’s probably a duplicated syllable of /ma/ — a common early vocalization of infants. Because of this, it’s plausible that all similar words for mom — including “momma,” “mammy,” “mum,” and “mom” — are ultimately related by babies’ capacity for language, spanning centuries, oceans, and cultures.
While many cultures have a word like “mama,” there are plenty of other names to call mom, and in some languages, the version you use depends on where you live. Vietnamese has more than a dozen variations of “mom.” It’s a tonal language, and words can vary based on geography. Generally speaking, you could say mẹ (the most common modern word for “mother”) anywhere in Vietnam and be correct — but other variations depend on regional dialects.
In Northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, mợ, a diminutive of mẹ, is very popular, while in the countryside, you’d be more likely to hear bu or bầm. In Central Vietnam, mạ (derived from the Chinese word 妈妈 or mama) is common. The underdot tone mark indicates a low-dropping tone, but to the south, má receives a high-rising tone mark instead.
Titles for mothers vary by region in Spanish as well. While mamá (“mom”) and madre (“mother”) are universal, there are plenty of regional Spanish words for “mom.” For example, the diminutive suffix “-ita” is added to mamá as a term of endearment, but in Latin America, it’s written as mamita, and in Spain, it’s mamaíta. Similarly, mamacita is the equivalent of English’s “momma” in Mexico and Central America. Mamá is also often shortened to ma or amá, which is especially popular in Mexico.
Another regional slang term for “mom” in Spanish is Argentina’s mamucha. In Mexico and some South American countries, vieja (“old lady”) and viejita (“little old lady”) are used affectionately to refer to one’s own mom. And one of the most endearing slang options for “mom” comes from Mexico, where jefe (meaning “boss”) refers to mom. It’s often seen with a twist, as in jefita (“little boss”) or jefecita (“little boss lady”), using diminutive suffixes to show fondness.
With thousands of languages worldwide, it’s no wonder there are so many ways to say “mom.” Some are classic, while others are surprising, quirky, or even confusing, but they all share one similarity. They carry a special sense of warmth and familiarity that transcends language.
In American English, we might favor “mother,” “mom,” “mommy,” and “mama,” but across the globe, there are hundreds of words for this special person.
Arabic: أم (“omm,” meaning “mother”), ماما (“mama”), مامي (“mami”)
Cherokee: agitsi (“mother”)
Danish: mor (“mother”)
Estonian: ema (“mother”)
French: mère (“mother”), maman (“mom”)
German: mutter (“mother”), mama, mami
Hawaiian: makuahine (“mother”)
Icelandic: móðir (“mother”), mamma
Indonesian: ibu (“mother”), mama
Inuktitut: anaana (“mother”)
Japanese: 母 (“haha,” meaning “mom”), お母さん (“okaasan,” meaning “mother”), ママ (“mama”)
Korean: 어머니 (“eomeoni,” meaning “mother”), 엄마 (“eomma,” meaning “mom”)
Mongolian: ээж (“eej,” meaning “mother”)
Navajo: shimá (“mother”)
Polish: matka (“mother”), mama, mamusia (“mommy”)
Portuguese: mãe (“mother”)
Scottish Gaelic: màthair (“mother”)
Welsh: mam (“mother”)
Yoruba: ìyá (“mom” or “mama”)
Zulu: umama (“mama” or “mother”)
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