Mama

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mama"

German

Alternative forms

• Mamma

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmama/ (commonly)
• IPA^(key): /maˈmaː/ (obsolete, lofty)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

Mama f (genitive Mama or (prenominally without an article) Mamas, plural Mamas)

1. mum, mummy, mom, mommy

   Synonym: Mutti

Usage notes

• The word is commonly used with a definite article in most parts of central Germany, southern Germany, and Austria: Wo ist die Mama? – “Where is Mum?” In northern Germany—and generally in writing—no article tends to be used: Wo ist Mama?
• The genitive Mamas is used before the modified term, without any article or determiner: Mamas Tasche – “Mum’s bag”. This is chiefly northern German usage; the rest of the language prefers: die Tasche von der Mama (as above). — With an accompanying article or determiner, the genitive takes no ending: die Tasche meiner Mama – “my mum’s bag”. This, however, is not common usage in any region; children will say instead: die Tasche von meiner Mama.

Declension

Declension of Mama [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Mama	die	Mamas
genitive	einer	der	Mama, Mamas1	der	Mamas
dative	einer	der	Mama	den	Mamas
accusative	eine	die	Mama	die	Mamas

¹Prenominally without an article.

Derived terms

• Mami (affectionate)

Further reading

• “Mama” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Mama” in Duden online
• “Mama” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

Ultimately a nursery word. Akin to German Mama and English mama.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaːmaː/
• Hyphenation: Ma‧ma
• Rhymes: -aːmaː

Noun

Mama f (plural [please provide])

1. mother, mama

Usage notes

• Mama is used to address someone else's mother. To describe the concept of a mother in itself, the word Múur is used, while when addressing one's own mother, the word Mäme is used.

References

• Marron C. Fort (2015) “Mama”, in Saterfriesisches Wörterbuch mit einer phonologischen und grammatischen Übersicht, Buske, →ISBN