mama

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mama"

Contents

English

Alternative forms

• mamma, momma

Etymology

Originally from baby talk. Possibly influenced by Middle English mome (“mother, aunt”), from Proto-Germanic *mōmǭ (“mother, aunt”), from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂-méh₂, reduplication of *méh₂- (“mother”), related to German Muhme (“aunt”), Latin mamma (“mother, nurse”), Irish mam (“mother”), Lithuanian mama, moma (“mother”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: mäʹmə, IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmə/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /məˈmɑː/
• Rhymes: -ɑːmə

Noun

mama (plural mamas)

1. (hypocoristic, usually childish) Mother, female parent.

Related terms

• mom
• mommy
• mother
• mum
• mummy

 

Translations

mother — see mother

mum — see mum

Anagrams

• amma, ma'am

---

'Are'are

Noun

mama

1. father

References

• Kateřina Naitoro, A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (2013)

---

Amis

Noun

mama

1. father

---

Aukan

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. woman

   Synonym: uman

---

Aymara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.ma/

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. Mrs., mistress (general respectful address for married women).

   tatanak mamanaka ― ladies and gentlemen

---

Bavarian

Noun

mama

1. (Timau) mother, mom, mama

References

• Umberto Patuzzi, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar, Luserna: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien.

---

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /ˈma.mə/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/

Noun

mama f (plural mames)

1. (familiar) mom
2. (anatomy) mamma

Derived terms

• càncer de mama (“breast cancer”)

Related terms

• mamar
• mamari
• mamella
• mare

 

Further reading

• “mama” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “mama” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “mama” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “mama” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

---

Cebuano

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama

1. a mother; a (human) female who (a) parents a child (b) gives birth to a baby (c) donates a fertilized egg or (d) donates a body cell which has resulted in a clone. Sometimes used in reference to a pregnant female, possibly as a shortened form of mother-to-be

   Synonyms: ina, inahan, nanay

2. a term of address to one's mother, mother-in-law or wife

---

Chinook Jargon

Etymology

From English mama or French maman.

Noun

mama

1. mother

   Synonym: naha

   Coordinate term: papa

---

Dutch

Etymology

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑmaː/
• (Belgium) IPA^(key): /mɑˈmaː/
• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

mama f (plural mama's, diminutive mamaatje n)

1. mama, mother

   Mama, ik heb honger! ― Mommy, I’m hungry!

   Synonyms: ma, mam

   Synonyms: moeder, moe, moeke (Flemish)

Alternative forms

• mamma

---

Ewe

Noun

mama

1. grandmother

---

Galician

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (anatomy) mamma, breast

Related terms

• mamar
• mamífero

Verb

mama

1. third-person singular present indicative of mamar
2. second-person singular imperative of mamar

---

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese mama. Cognates with Kabuverdianu mama.

Noun

mama

1. bosom
2. breast of a woman

---

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɒmɒ]

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mama (plural mamák)

1. mom

   Synonyms: anya, anyu, édesanya, anyuka, anyuci

2. (dialectal) grandmom

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamák
accusative	mamát	mamákat
dative	mamának	mamáknak
instrumental	mamával	mamákkal
causal-final	mamáért	mamákért
translative	mamává	mamákká
terminative	mamáig	mamákig
essive-formal	mamaként	mamákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	mamában	mamákban
superessive	mamán	mamákon
adessive	mamánál	mamáknál
illative	mamába	mamákba
sublative	mamára	mamákra
allative	mamához	mamákhoz
elative	mamából	mamákból
delative	mamáról	mamákról
ablative	mamától	mamáktól

Possessive forms of mama
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	mamám	mamáim
2nd person sing.	mamád	mamáid
3rd person sing.	mamája	mamái
1st person plural	mamánk	mamáink
2nd person plural	mamátok	mamáitok
3rd person plural	mamájuk	mamáik

Derived terms

• kismama
• nagymama
• pótmama

 

---

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from English mama, French maman, German Mama, Italian mamma, Russian ма́ма (máma), Spanish mamá.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama (plural mamai)

1. mama, mom, mommy, mum

   Synonym: matro

   Coordinate terms: papa, patro

---

Irish

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama m (genitive singular mama, nominative plural mamaí)

1. (literary) breast, pap
2. (anatomy) mamma

Declension

Declension of mama

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative mama mamaí Vocative a mhama a mhamaí Genitive mama mamaí Dative mama mamaí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an mama na mamaí Genitive an mhama na mamaí Dative leis an mama don mhama leis na mamaí

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
mama	mhama	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• "mama" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• C. Marstrander, E. G. Quin et al., editors (1913–76), “mama”, in Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, →ISBN
• Entries containing “mama” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

---

Istriot

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Noun

mama f

1. mom, mamma, mother

See also

• mare

---

Japanese

Romanization

mama

1. Rōmaji transcription of まま
2. Rōmaji transcription of ママ

---

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese mama.

Noun

mama

1. bosom
2. breast of a woman

---

Krisa

Pronoun

mama

1. you

---

Lithuanian

Noun

mamà f (plural mãmos) stress pattern 4

1. mother

Declension

declension of mama

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	mamà	mãmos
genitive (kilmininkas)	mamõs	mamų̃
dative (naudininkas)	mãmai	mamóms
accusative (galininkas)	mãmą	mamàs
instrumental (įnagininkas)	mamà	mamomìs
locative (vietininkas)	mamojè	mamosè
vocative (šauksmininkas)	mãma	mãmos

Related terms

• mamýtė, mamẽlė (diminutive)

---

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmama]

Noun

mama f (diminutive maminka)

1. mother, mom

Declension

Declension of mama

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	mama	mamje	mamy
Genitive	mamy	mamowu	mamow
Dative	mamje	mamoma	mamam
Accusative	mamu	mamje	mamy
Instrumental	mamu	mamoma	mamami
Locative	mamje	mamoma	mamach

---

Maquiritari

Noun

mama

1. mother (used when addressing one’s mother, but not when referring to her)

References

• Ed. Key, Mary Ritchie and Comrie, Bernard. The Intercontinental Dictionary Series, Carib (De'kwana).

---

Martuthunira

FWOTD – 10 April 2014

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mama/

Noun

mama

1. paternal uncle (one’s father’s brother)

References

• Dench, Alan Charles. 1995. Martuthunira: A Language of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. Series C-125.

---

Mauritian Creole

Etymology 1

From French maman

Noun

mama

1. mother

Etymology 2

From Hindi मामा (māmā) and Marathi मामा (māmā).

Noun

mama

1. uncle

   Synonyms: chacha, tonton

References

• Baker, Philip & Hookoomsing, Vinesh Y. 1987. Dictionnaire de créole mauricien. Morisyen – English – Français

---

Mòcheno

Noun

mama ?

1. mother

References

• Umberto Patuzzi, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar, Luserna: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien.

---

Nigerian Pidgin

Noun

mama

1. mother

---

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• 𑀫𑀫 (Brahmi script)
• मम (Devanagari script)
• মম (Bengali script)
• මම (Sinhalese script)
• မမ (Burmese script)
• มม or มะมะ (Thai script)
• ᨾᨾ (Tai Tham script)
• ມມ or ມະມະ (Lao script)
• មម (Khmer script)

Pronoun

mama

1. genitive/dative singular of ahaṃ (“me”)

---

Panyjima

FWOTD – 2 April 2016

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mama/

Noun

mama

1. father

   Synonym: papu

2. paternal uncle (one’s father’s brother)

References

• Dench, Alan (1991). "Panyjima", in R.M.W. Dixon and Barry J. Blake: The Handbook of Australian Languages, Volume 4. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia, 125–244.

---

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Dutch mama.

Noun

mama

1. mother

---

Pitjantjatjara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɐmɐ]

Noun

mama

1. father

   Synonym: punari

2. father’s older brother or close male friend; uncle

   Synonym: mama puḻka

3. god

Derived terms

• mama maḻatja (“father's younger brother; uncle”)
• mama ngunytju (“parents”)
• maṟa mama (“thumb”)
• tjina mama (“big toe”)

 

---

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.ma/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

mama f

1. mum

Declension

declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamy
genitive	mamy	mam
dative	mamie	mamom
accusative	mamę	mamy
instrumental	mamą	mamami
locative	mamie	mamach
vocative	mamo	mamy

Related terms

• mamusia (diminutive)
• matka

 

Further reading

• mama in Polish dictionaries at PWN

---

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin mamma. Compare Italian mammella, French mamelle.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐ.mɐ/
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma
• Rhymes: -ama

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (human) breast, bosom
2. (animal) udder, teat

Verb

mama

1. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present indicative of mamar
2. second-person singular (tu, sometimes used with você) affirmative imperative of mamar

---

Quechua

Noun

mama

1. mother
2. madam, lady
3. (figuratively) nest, home
4. (geology) vein
5. (mathematics) matrix

Declension

declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamakuna
accusative	mamata	mamakunata
dative	mamaman	mamakunaman
genitive	mamap	mamakunap
locative	mamapi	mamakunapi
terminative	mamakama	mamakunakama
ablative	mamamanta	mamakunamanta
instrumental	mamawan	mamakunawan
comitative	mamantin	mamakunantin
abessive	mamannaq	mamakunannaq
comparative	mamahina	mamakunahina
causative	mamarayku	mamakunarayku
benefactive	mamapaq	mamakunapaq
associative	mamapura	mamakunapura
distributive	mamanka	mamakunanka
exclusive	mamalla	mamakunalla

possessive forms of mama

ñuqap - first-person singular

ñuqap (my)	singular	plural
nominative	mamay	mamaykuna
accusative	mamayta	mamaykunata
dative	mamayman	mamaykunaman
genitive	mamaypa	mamaykunap
locative	mamaypi	mamaykunapi
terminative	mamaykama	mamaykunakama
ablative	mamaymanta	mamaykunamanta
instrumental	mamaywan	mamaykunawan
comitative	mamaynintin	mamaykunantin
abessive	mamayninnaq	mamaykunannaq
comparative	mamayhina	mamaykunahina
causative	mamayrayku	mamaykunarayku
benefactive	mamaypaq	mamaykunapaq
associative	mamaypura	mamaykunapura
distributive	mamayninka	mamaykunanka
exclusive	mamaylla	mamaykunalla

qampa - second-person singular

qampa (your)	singular	plural
nominative	mamayki	mamaykikuna
accusative	mamaykita	mamaykikunata
dative	mamaykiman	mamaykikunaman
genitive	mamaykipa	mamaykikunap
locative	mamaykipi	mamaykikunapi
terminative	mamaykikama	mamaykikunakama
ablative	mamaykimanta	mamaykikunamanta
instrumental	mamaykiwan	mamaykikunawan
comitative	mamaykintin	mamaykikunantin
abessive	mamaykinnaq	mamaykikunannaq
comparative	mamaykihina	mamaykikunahina
causative	mamaykirayku	mamaykikunarayku
benefactive	mamaykipaq	mamaykikunapaq
associative	mamaykipura	mamaykikunapura
distributive	mamaykinka	mamaykikunanka
exclusive	mamaykilla	mamaykikunalla

paypa - third-person singular

paypa (his/her/its)	singular	plural
nominative	maman	mamankuna
accusative	mamanta	mamankunata
dative	mamanman	mamankunaman
genitive	mamanpa	mamankunap
locative	mamanpi	mamankunapi
terminative	mamankama	mamankunakama
ablative	mamanmanta	mamankunamanta
instrumental	mamanwan	mamankunawan
comitative	mamanintin	mamankunantin
abessive	mamanninnaq	mamankunannaq
comparative	mamanhina	mamankunahina
causative	mamanrayku	mamankunarayku
benefactive	mamanpaq	mamankunapaq
associative	mamanpura	mamankunapura
distributive	mamaninka	mamankunanka
exclusive	mamanlla	mamankunalla

ñuqanchikpa - first-person inclusive plural

ñuqanchikpa (our(incl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamanchik	mamanchikkuna
accusative	mamanchikta	mamanchikkunata
dative	mamanchikman	mamanchikkunaman
genitive	mamanchikpa	mamanchikkunap
locative	mamanchikpi	mamanchikkunapi
terminative	mamanchikkama	mamanchikkunakama
ablative	mamanchikmanta	mamanchikkunamanta
instrumental	mamanchikwan	mamanchikkunawan
comitative	mamanchiknintin	mamanchikkunantin
abessive	mamanchikninnaq	mamanchikkunannaq
comparative	mamanchikhina	mamanchikkunahina
causative	mamanchikrayku	mamanchikkunarayku
benefactive	mamanchikpaq	mamanchikkunapaq
associative	mamanchikpura	mamanchikkunapura
distributive	mamanchikninka	mamanchikkunanka
exclusive	mamanchiklla	mamanchikkunalla

ñuqaykup - first-person exclusive plural

ñuqaykup (our(excl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamayku	mamaykukuna
accusative	mamaykuta	mamaykukunata
dative	mamaykuman	mamaykukunaman
genitive	mamaykupa	mamaykukunap
locative	mamaykupi	mamaykukunapi
terminative	mamaykukama	mamaykukunakama
ablative	mamaykumanta	mamaykukunamanta
instrumental	mamaykuwan	mamaykukunawan
comitative	mamaykuntin	mamaykukunantin
abessive	mamaykunnaq	mamaykukunannaq
comparative	mamaykuhina	mamaykukunahina
causative	mamaykurayku	mamaykukunarayku
benefactive	mamaykupaq	mamaykukunapaq
associative	mamaykupura	mamaykukunapura
distributive	mamaykunka	mamaykukunanka
exclusive	mamaykulla	mamaykukunalla

qamkunap - second-person plural

qamkunap (your(pl))	singular	plural
nominative	mamaykichik	mamaykichikkuna
accusative	mamaykichikta	mamaykichikkunata
dative	mamaykichikman	mamaykichikkunaman
genitive	mamaykichikpa	mamaykichikkunap
locative	mamaykichikpi	mamaykichikkunapi
terminative	mamaykichikkama	mamaykichikkunakama
ablative	mamaykichikmanta	mamaykichikkunamanta
instrumental	mamaykichikwan	mamaykichikkunawan
comitative	mamaykichiknintin	mamaykichikkunantin
abessive	mamaykichikninnaq	mamaykichikkunannaq
comparative	mamaykichikhina	mamaykichikkunahina
causative	mamaykichikrayku	mamaykichikkunarayku
benefactive	mamaykichikpaq	mamaykichikkunapaq
associative	mamaykichikpura	mamaykichikkunapura
distributive	mamaykichikninka	mamaykichikkunanka
exclusive	mamaykichiklla	mamaykichikkunalla

paykunap - third-person plural

paykunap (their)	singular	plural
nominative	mamanku	mamankukuna
accusative	mamankuta	mamankukunata
dative	mamankuman	mamankukunaman
genitive	mamankupa	mamankukunap
locative	mamankupi	mamankukunapi
terminative	mamankukama	mamankukunakama
ablative	mamankumanta	mamankukunamanta
instrumental	mamankuwan	mamankukunawan
comitative	mamankuntin	mamankukunantin
abessive	mamankunnaq	mamankukunannaq
comparative	mamankuhina	mamankukunahina
causative	mamankurayku	mamankukunarayku
benefactive	mamankupaq	mamankukunapaq
associative	mamankupura	mamankukunapura
distributive	mamankunka	mamankukunanka
exclusive	mamankulla	mamankukunalla

Derived terms

• jatun mama
• mama qucha

See also

• tayta

---

Romanian

Noun

mama f

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of mamă

---

Sardinian

Etymology

From Latin mamma, from Ancient Greek μάμμη (mámmē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama f (plural mamas) (Limba Sarda Comuna)

1. mother

See also

• babbu
• tzia

---

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mâma/
• Hyphenation: ma‧ma

Noun

mȁma f (Cyrillic spelling ма̏ма)

1. mom

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mame
genitive	mame	mama
dative	mami	mamama
accusative	mamu	mame
vocative	mamo	mame
locative	mami	mamama
instrumental	mamom	mamama

---

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama f (genitive singular mamy, nominative plural mamy, genitive plural mám, declension pattern of žena)

1. mama

Declension

Declension of mama

	singular	plural
nominative	mama	mamy
genitive	mamy	mám
dative	mame	mamám
accusative	mamu	mamy
locative	mame	mamách
instrumental	mamou	mamami

Derived terms

• mamina f
• mamička f

 

Further reading

• mama in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk

---

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin mamma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/

Noun

mama f (plural mamas)

1. (anatomy) mamma, breast

Related terms

• mamar
• mamífero

 

Verb

mama

1. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of mamar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present indicative form of mamar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of mamar.

---

Swahili

Noun

mama (n class, plural mama)

1. mother (female parent)

   Coordinate term: baba

2. Respectful term of address for an older woman.

---

Tagalog

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.maʔ/

Noun

mama

1. a term used in referring to, or in addressing, a male unknown to the speaker

Pronunciation 2

• IPA^(key): /ma.ˈma/

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish mamá, adapted from French maman.

Noun

mama

1. (colloquial, familiar, childish) mum, mom

Pronunciation 3

• IPA^(key): /ma.ˈmaʔ/

Noun

mama

1. betel chewing

Related terms

• buyo
• hitso
• ikmo
• itmo
• mam-in
• nganga
• sama

 

---

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English mama.

Noun

mama

1. mother
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, 3:20:

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

   Antonym: papa

Derived terms

• mama karim

This entry has fewer than three known examples of actual usage, the minimum considered necessary for clear attestation, and may not be reliable. Tok Pisin is subject to a special exemption for languages with limited documentation. If you speak it, please consider editing this entry or adding citations. See also Help and the Community Portal.

---

Turkish

Noun

mama (definite accusative mamayı, plural mamalar)

1. baby food
2. food (in child's language)

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	mama
Definite accusative	mamayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	mama	mamalar
Definite accusative	mamayı	mamaları
Dative	mamaya	mamalara
Locative	mamada	mamalarda
Ablative	mamadan	mamalardan
Genitive	mamanın	mamaların
Possessive forms Singular Plural 1st singular mamam mamalarım 2nd singular maman mamaların 3rd singular maması mamaları 1st plural mamamız mamalarımız 2nd plural mamanız mamalarınız 3rd plural mamaları mamaları

---

Upper Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmama]

Noun

mama f (diminutive mamička or mamimka)

1. mama, mommy, mum

Declension

Declension of mama

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	mama	mamje	mamy
Genitive	mamy	mamow	mamow
Dative	mamje	mamomaj	mamam
Accusative	mamu	mamje	mamy
Instrumental	mamu	mamomaj	mamami
Locative	mamje	mamomaj	mamach

Related terms

• mać
• maćerka

 

---

Venda

Verb

mama

1. to suck

---

Venetian

Etymology

From Latin mamma. Compare Italian mamma.

Noun

mama f (plural mame)

1. mother
2. mum, mummy

---

Wanyi

Etymology

Compare Guugu Yimidhirr mayi.

Noun

mama

1. (vegetable-based) food

References

• Mary Laughren, Rob Pensalfini, Tom Mylne, Accounting for verb-initial order in an Australian language, in Verb First: On the syntax of verb-initial languages (2005)